Published: October 06, 2008 07:45 pm            

Volunteer accused of stealing from fire department arrested in Evansville

Man left Charlestown area, was evicted from trailer

CHARLESTOWN — The man accused of using Charlestown Fire Department credit cards for personal use was arrested in Evansville on Monday.

Troopers from the Indiana State Police Post at Evansville arrested 35-year-old Bruce A. Pigman after a warrant was filed in Clark County Superior Court No. 3 Monday morning, according to an ISP press release. Pigman, the department’s property officer, was charged with theft and fraud, both class D felonies.

According to the probable-cause affidavit, Pigman spent almost $6,000 using department credit cards. About $2,000 of those purchases could be legitimate, the affidavit states, but no receipts were provided.

However, Clark County Prosecutor Steve Stewart said “scores” of purchases were clearly for personal items, including food at restaurants and sporting equipment.

According to the affidavit, only Pigman had access to a National City Bank credit card, which is for purchasing fire-related equipment such as uniforms or vehicle parts. About half of the purchases had been charged to that card. A Fleet gasoline credit card accounted for the remaining charges.

Most expenses did not require authorization, the affidavit states. Charlie Moon, president of and spokesman for the fire department, said the department since has changed policy so that the property officer must get approval from him and the department.

Pigman also allegedly never turned in gear and equipment worth an estimated $3,000. That equipment included a pager/monitor and a cell phone. Investigators recovered at least some of the gear from the 10300 block of Marion Martin Road. Pigman had been evicted from a trailer on that property this summer.

Pigman has worked with the fire department as an unpaid volunteer for almost five years. The improper purchases date back to November.

Moon said the department secretary first noticed the problem in July after Pigman went missing. He said Pigman “just fell off the face of the Earth” and stopped coming to the firehouse.

After finally contacting him, an arrangement was reportedly made for Pigman to repay the department, but an attorney, Bob Canada, reportedly called and said Pigman did not need to come to the meeting. Pigman never showed up to the meeting.

Moon then contacted Indiana State Police. ISP Detective David Makowsky completed the investigation in mid-September and turned the case over to the Clark County Prosecutor’s Office.

Pigman is being held in the Vanderburgh County Jail awaiting his extradition to Clark County. He could face one to six years in prison if convicted of both charges.

The Evening News and Tribune left a message with Canada’s secretary after hours, and he did not immediately return the call.

A call was also placed to Pigman’s phone number. A man who identified himself as Pigman’s father said the family did not immediately have anything to say, but would be willing to comment within the next 24 hours.

        

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