UPDATE: March 6, 2024, at 7 am: BOONVILLE, NC (LOOTPRESS) – A Town of Boonville administrative assistant accused of embezzling nearly 50K from the town fire department has been terminated.
The Boonville Town Council met during its regularly scheduled monthly board meeting on Tuesday night. During the meeting, Mayor Vaughn Benton asked the board for approval of the termination of Steve Hutchens. Â Board member Greg Wagoner motioned to terminate Hutchens from employment with the Town of Boonville, and David Cox made the second motion. The vote was 3-0. Town Board Members Tim Driver and Monica Craver were absent from the meeting.
North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey announced the arrest of Stephen Brian Hutchens, 60, of 1024 Lyndale Drive, Boonville. Special agents with the Department of Insurance’s Criminal Investigations Division charged Hutchens with eight counts of larceny by an employee.
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BOONVILLE, NC (LOOTPRESS) – The Town of Boonville Administrative Assistant, also an employee of The Boonville Volunteer Fire Department, has been arrested and charged with allegedly embezzling funds.
Court documents obtained by Lootpress state that Stephen “Steve” Brian Hutchens, 60, of Boonville, NC, was charged with eight counts of larceny by an employee.
An investigation done by the North Carolina Department of Insurance Criminal Investigations says Count 1, on or about January 2016, Hutchens, being an employee as Treasurer of The Town of Boonville Volunteer Fire Department, embezzled $4,450.00.
Count two states that during the year 2017, Hutchens embezzled $5,480.00.
Count three states that during the year 2018, Hutchens embezzled $7,401.23.
Count four states that during the year 2019, Hutchens embezzled $7,710.00.
Count five states that during the year 2020, Hutchens embezzled $6,950.00.
Count six states that during the year 2021, Hutchens embezzled $5,825.00.
Count seven states that during the year 2022, Hutchens embezzled $7,700.00.
Count eight states that during the year 2023, Hutchens embezzled $3,912.50.
Hutchens was arrested on Wednesday, January 31, 2024. He was given a 5,000-dollar bond, which he posted.
The North Carolina Insurance Investigators estimate that Hutchens allegedly embezzled at least 49,428.73.
According to court records, Hutchens will have his first court appearance on Wednesday, February 7, 2024, at 9 am, at the Yadkin County Courthouse, Courtroom 1. Hutchens is not allowed to have contact with the Boonville Fire Department, its members, or the Board of Directors.
The Boonville Volunteer Fire Department has confirmed to Lootpress that Steve was the secretary and treasurer; he is no longer a member or affiliated with the Fire Department. He is currently still an employee with the Town of Boonville. It is currently unknown if he will keep his job with the town.
Lootpress reached out to the Mayor of Boonville, Vaughn Benton, who said he had no comment at this time. Boonville’s next Town Board Meeting is Tuesday, February 6, 2024, at 7 pm. Benton says this will be handled in a closed session, the normal procedure for personnel issues.
Stay with Lootpress for further updates.