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Former Ridgeley Fire Dept Treasurer indicted

May 5th, 2015 by WCBC Radio

The Cumberland Times News reports a former treasurer of the Ridgeley Volunteer Fire Department was indicted by the May term of the Mineral County grand jury on four felony counts of embezzling more than $300,000 between January 2005 and September 2010. In addition to the aforementioned indictments, Cheryl Shipley, Ridgeley, was also indicted with a felony count of conspiracy. Cheryl’s husband, Robert Shipley, former president of the fire department, also was indicted for conspiracy. Robert Shipley of Ridgeley, was charged as the primary one responsible for taking the money, but there wasn’t enough information to charge him with more than conspiracy, according to Jay Courrier, Mineral County prosecuting attorney. Both of the Shipleys had access to the money, Courrier said.  “It (embezzling) was done a variety of ways, including cash withdrawals, paying personal mortgage and credit card bills by phone through electronic transfers, writing checks for personal cellular phones and directly transferring money from fire department accounts to her personal bank accounts,” said Courrier. The case was investigated by Tfc. Tyler Hutcheson of the Keyser detachment of the West Virginia State Police. The fire department was established in 1925, with its active membership not to exceed 64 members, according to its website.

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