Former Pa. fire chief jailed for stealing $45K from department
Former Wilkes-Barre Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief John Yuknavich was sentenced to federal prison for stealing $45,000.
The former chief of the Wilkes-Barre Township Volunteer Fire Department was sentenced to six months in federal prison Thursday for stealing $45,000 during the course of his duties.
John Yuknavich, 51, also agreed to resign and pay the department full restitution, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
Between 2008 and 2011, Yuknavich was responsible for ensuring the deposit of $3,500 in monthly funds the fire company received from Wilkes-Barre Township, intended to pay departmental bills.
He deposited only part of each check, taking the remainder in cash and using it for his personal benefit, according to criminal charges filed this past August.
Yuknavich pleaded guilty in September to theft concerning programs receiving federal funds.
After his release from prison, he must serve six months of home confinement, followed by three years of supervised release, prosecutors said.