PA Assistant Fire Chief Charged with Theft From Relief Account

March 1, 2017
A Feasterville fire officer, who is also a cop in Lower Southampton, was charged with misusing more than $51,000.

A Lower Southampton cop, who is also an assistant fire chief of the Feasterville Fire Company, has been charged with misusing more than $51,000 of volunteer firefighter funds. He allegedly used the money to pay for his wedding and to buy a Wave Runner.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Brian Walter also held the position of vice president, treasurer and secretary of the executive board of the Feasterville Volunteer Firefighters Relief Association, the organization from which the money was allegedly taken.

A grand jury who looked at the case and made the presentment said the executive board “was perverted into a secret society for Brian Walter to pay himself his family and a privileged few.” The newspaper reported that Walter allegedly also paid for his brother’s wedding.

The report says Walter was charged with theft by failing to make required disposition of funds, and three counts of tampering with public documents all third-degree felonies. He also faces misdemeanor offenses in connection with incident.

The payments to Walter were described as loans and were mostly repaid after January 2015 when an audit by the state auditors revealed $51,486 in unauthorized loans.

The newspaper reported that Walter created fraudulent, back dated and altered loan documents that he gave to state auditors making it appear that he was tracking loan payments and collecting them on time. The newspaper reported the charges do not involve his family or his role as a police officer.

He was released on $100,000 unsecured bail after arraignment on Tuesday.

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