PIKEVILLE, Ky. — Prosecutors are asking a judge not to go easy on a former Pike County fire chief, when he is sentenced for stealing money from his department later this month.
Christopher Aaron Chapman, 36, of Ransom, pleaded guilty in August to federal program theft.
In doing so, he admitted to stealing nearly $77,000 in grant money intended to purchase safety gear for his department.
In his plea agreement, Chapman admitted to registering a company called Rural Public Safety Equipment with the West Virginia Secretary of State’s Office in April of 2022. Afterwards, he convinced the members of his department to use grant money to order safety gear from the company, without disclosing he was the owner. But Chapman never filled the order, instead keeping all of the money for himself.
In doing so, prosecutors say he not only endangered members of his department, but also his community.
While the maximum sentence for the crime is 10 years, sentencing guidelines only call for Chapman to spend between six and 12 months in prison, because he has no previous criminal history. Prosecutors are asking that his sentence be set at the high end of that range.
Chapman will be in court Feb. 27 for sentencing.
