LINCOLNTON, N.C. -- The Assistant Fire Chief of the Lincolnton Fire Department has been indicted for embezzlement in connection with the Burned Children's Fund.
On Monday, agents with the State Bureau of Investigation served William (Bill) Fortenberry indictments on nine counts of embezzlement. The SBI's office says Fortenberry is charged with four counts of embezzlement regarding the Burned Children's Fund, and another five counts of embezzlement in connection with Pisgah United Methodist Church.
Fortenberry is accused of misappropriating thousands of dollars from the account of the Lincoln County Chapter of the North Carolina Firefighter Burned Children Fund. Besides being the Assistant Chief of the Lincolnton Fire Department, Fortenberry has served since 1992 as the Treasurer of the local Burned Children Fund.
Fortenberry resigned his position with the fire department back in September.
Money collected by the firefighters who volunteer to help the fund goes to help pay non-medical costs for child burn victims. Some of the funds also go to send burn victims to a summer camp for some fun.
