September 5, 2018
LOUISA, Ky. — A new warrant has been issued for former Fallsburg Fire Chief William Hall in connection with Hall’s admitted embezzlement of more than $5,000 from fire department funds, Lawrence County Attorney Mike Hogan said today.
In May 2017 the Kentucky State Police Post 14 in Ashland began an investigation into a reported theft of funds from the Fallsburg Fire Department.
During the course of the investigation it was determined that William Hall, Acting Chief of Fallsburg Fire Department at the time of the theft, had used department funds for personal gain.
Hall has been given more than a year to repay the funds in a timely fashion in order to show leniency, He has no previous criminal record, Hogan said.
“After he paid the restitution I was going to amend the charge from Felony Theft over $500 to Misdemeanor under $500 and allow him to plead to that and give him a year in jail and probate it,” Hogan said. He did not say if that offer is still on the table.
Between March 2016 and May 2017 funds totaling over $5,000 had been removed from the Fallsburg Fire Department account and used by Hall reportedly to pay his personal power bills.
Evidence was collected which resulted in Trooper Forest Newsome obtaining arrest warrants for Hall.
Hogan said today that Hall has been given ample opportunity to repay the funds but has failed to do so and another warrant has been issued for his arrest.
“Mr. Hall was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $5,609.62 to Fallsburg Fire Department,” Hogan said. “A payment of $1,610.00 was made on 3/7/18 and a payment of $1,650.00 was paid on 4/18/18.”
Hogan said the balance of $2,350.00 was due on May 30, 2018.
“The preliminary hearing was rescheduled several times to allow Mr. Hall additional time to pay,” Hogan said. “On August 8th, Mr. Hall failed to appear in court and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest. The sheriff’s department is responsible for serving the warrant,” Hogan said.
A spokesperson in Lawrence County Sheriff Garrett Roberts’ office said the sheriff’s dept. often does not know a warrant has been issued until it is brought to their attention.
Sheriff Roberts said that his office had no idea that a warrant had been issued for Hall’s arrest until The Lazer story came out today. “Since the state went to the new e-warrant system we get no notice from the courthouse on when a warrant is issued,” Roberts said. He said when he first took office 16 years ago his office got notice when a warrant was issued but no more.
He said he looked it up on e-warrants and the warrant was issued by Judge John Chaffin at 6:45am on August 8.
“Today we have found that Mr. Hall does not live at the same address listed on the warrant (Shady Lane) and we have no idea where to look for him.” Roberts said.
Roberts also said if anyone knows the whereabouts of Mr. Hall they should call the sheriff’s office and he will do whatever is necessary to serve the warrant including extradition.
Lawrence County Clerk Chris Jobe, who took over as acting Fire Chief after the investigation into theft of department funds began, said he has dreaded this day since the investigation into missing funds began.
“This is one of the hardest things I’ve ever been through,” Jobe said at the time of Hall’s arrest.
###
Here is the original account of Hall’s arrest posted by TheLevisaLazer.com in February of 2017:
“…William Hall, age 45, of Louisa, KY was located and arrested by Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputy Mason Keefer on February 15, 2018. Hall was lodged in the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center and charged with the following:
* Theft by Failure to Make Required Disposition Of Property $5,000<
* Abuse of Public Trust < $10,000
The investigation remains ongoing by Trooper Forest Newsome Unit 762.
Hall was released on an undisclosed bond amount.
