Ex-TX Chief, Treasurer Face Theft Charges

Sept. 27 -- The former chief and treasurer with the Merit Volunteer Fire Department have been arrested and charged with stealing thousands of dollars from the department.

Wilfred Lewis Barber and Connie Lou Barber remained in custody Wednesday in the Hunt County Detention Center, each charged with one count of theft of between $2,500 and $30,000 and each being held in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Jail records show the pair were taken into custody Monday and appeared before Justice of the Peace Place 1, Precinct 2 Sheila Linden Tuesday morning.

Hunt County District Attorney Noble D. Walker said the pair were indicted earlier this month during the latest session of the Hunt County grand jury.

“It was a sealed indictment,” Walker said, adding the case against the Barbers was presented by the Hunt County Homeland Security/Fire Marshal’s Office.

“They worked it up and presented it,” Walker said.

“These were sealed indictments,” confirmed Director of Homeland Security/Fire Marshal Richard Hill. “The thefts were allegedly from the department. That’s what the case was about.”

The Barbers are no longer associated with the department. Earlier this month Shannon Stevens was named as chief. Stevens could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Additional details were not immediately released, as the indictments had not been made public as of Wednesday evening.

Dates for hearings for the arraignments on the indictments had not been scheduled Wednesday and it was unknown whether the Barbers had retained representation.

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