Pennsylvania Township Fire Chief Arrested for Theft

Posted by: Curt Varone December 6, 2011 0

The fire chief of Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania, was arrested today by State police following a 3 year investigation into financial irregularities in the fire department.

Fire Chief John Yuknavich faces charges of theft, receiving stolen property, and access device fraud. State police claim Yuknavich wrote checks to himself totaling $11,865 in fire department funds, and  charged $3,706 on a department credit card.

Yuknavich was in the news last year following a series of run-ins with local police, including driving a fire department vehicle with lights on when there was no emergency. He ended up pleading guilty to a disorderly conduct charge.

 

About Curt Varone

Curt Varone has over 45 years of fire service experience and 35 as a practicing attorney licensed in both Rhode Island and Maine. His background includes 29 years as a career firefighter in Providence (retiring as a Deputy Assistant Chief), as well as volunteer and paid on call experience. He is the author of two books: Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services, (2006, 2nd ed. 2011, 3rd ed. 2014, 4th ed. 2022) and Fire Officer's Legal Handbook (2007), and is a contributing editor for Firehouse Magazine writing the Fire Law column.
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