Published: October 05, 2008 12:38 am            

Former Fire Department employee accused of stealing money

A former Charlestown Volunteer Fire Department property officer will likely be charged with two felony offenses for charging about $6,000 worth of personal expenses to a department credit card.

Clark County Prosecutor Steve Stewart said he anticipates charges being filed against Bruce Pigman very soon. Pigman will likely be charged with theft and fraud, both class D felonies.

“The evidence presented to us is that Mr. Pigman used the credit card on scores of occasions for what were clearly personal items,” Stewart said.

Stewart said he used the credit card for everything from gas and food to sporting equipment.

Charlie Moon, spokesman for the fire department, said the improper purchases began in November 2007. The department secretary first noticed the problem in July after Pigman went missing.

Moon said Pigman “just fell off the face of the Earth.” He stopped showing up to the firehouse, and Moon said no one was able to reach him for a long period of time.

Moon said when Pigman finally returned the phone calls, they reached an agreement for him to pay back the department but that never happened.

The fire department then turned over all evidence to the Indiana State Police who investigated the allegations. Sgt. Jerry Goodin of ISP said they turned the case over to the prosecutor’s office in mid-September. He would not comment further on the investigation.

Moon said he has good reason to believe Pigman has left Charlestown and is staying with family in Evansville. Stewart said he has not contacted Pigman but is confident “we can find him.”

“Six thousand dollars may not seem like a lot of money, but it is devastating to the fire department,” Moon said.

However, Moon said he hopes people do not lose faith in the fire department and called this incident part of their “growing pains.”

“We have taken steps to make sure this doesn’t happen again,” Moon said.

For instance, the property officer now has to get permission from Moon and Chief Lee Slaughter before making purchases. The department will also be tracking credit card statements more closely.

The department hopes to recover at least some of the losses from its insurance company as part of the bond taken out on Pigman.

Moon said Pigman worked with the department for nearly five years, and he has no idea why he would have taken the money.

Attempts to reach Pigman for comment were not successful. Each D felony charge carries a possible sentence of six months to three years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine.

        

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