A former treasurer of the Pike County Firefighters' Association in facing charges related to the theft of organization funds.
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced Tuesday that a Pike County Grand Jury indicted James "Jason" Fields, 42, of Beaver, on on third degree felony count of money laundering, one fourth degree felony count of telecommunications fraud, and one fifth degree felony count of theft.
Fields is accused of transferring more than $3,500 from the association's bank account to his personal bank account between April 20, 2016 and August 30, 2016. He then allegedly spent the funds on personal expenses.
"The Pike County Firefighters' Association trusted the defendant to safeguard the funds that he is now accused of stealing," said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. "The funds should have been used to support the work of firefighters in Pike County, but instead the defendant allegedly spent the money on himself."
The case was investigated by agents with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation and is being prosecuted by Attorney General DeWine's Special Prosecutions Section.