ON MARCH 27 FIREGEEZER BROUGHT YOU THE STORY (HERE) on the fire chief of the Hardy Volunteer Fire Department in Bedford County, Virginia, who was arrested following service of a search warrant on his house after an investigation that had taken several months.
Jeffrey Shifflett (WSLS image)
Jeffrey Lee Shifflett was charged with felony forgery later that day and the State Police released a copy of the warrant listing some of the activities by the chief, Jeffrey Shifflett:
- Fire department checks written to Shiflett totaling thousands of dollars. The memo line lists “training” but investigators say there are no records for training material or events associated with the payments.
- Records documenting frequent cash withdrawls from the fire department’s bank accounts totaling several hundred dollars. The withdrawls were made by Shiflett, according to the warrant.
- A fire department debit card and checks known to be in Shiflett’s possession were used at businesses not consistent with the needs of the department.
- There are 11 Shell gas cards in the fire company’s name, even though there are only six vehicles. Ten cards are being used to purchase a “disproportionate” amount of fuel, according to the warrant. Three cards are unaccounted for but have been recently used. In the warrant, investigators say they believe Shiflett and family members used the cards to purchase fuel for non-fire department vehicles.
- A fire department card in Shiflett’s possession has been used to purchase items at Vinton Pawn Shop, including at least one firearm. The warrant also says it was used to buy clothing and other items from Gander Mountain and Sportsman’s Warehouse. The items, according to investigators, are not consistent with the needs of the fire company.
The Bedford Bulletin News carried this detailed and in-depth REPORT HERE on the charges that were brought against him.
This afternoon (Wednesday) the Bedford County Sheriff’s office released the information that Shifflett killed himself Wednesday morning, just hours after he was indicted on 13 embezzlement charges. The Bedford County administrator’s office confirmed the information.
Shifflett’s wife, Deborah Lynne Shifflett, and his son, Corey Mitchell Shifflett, were also indicted.
WDBJ-TV Ch. 7 is reporting this afternoon:
The county dispatch center received a call from the Shifflett home at 9:30 Wednesday morning. The caller said a man was dead at the home on Turner Branch Road.
Deputies responded and found Jeffrey Shifflett dead in the garage. A handgun was found nearby.
Shifflett’s body was taken to the medical examiner’s office to determine time and cause of death.
He had been the fire chief for more than ten years. We will update this story if anything else develops from it.
Recent Comments