AS REPORTED IN THE NACOGDOCHES DAILY SENTINEL
Erin McKeon | 0 comments
Billy Gillam, 54, of Nacogdoches turned himself in to the Nacogdoches Police Department Tuesday morning after learning there was a warrant for his arrest, according to a police report.
Gillam is charged with Misdemeanor A theft of property by a public servant after police say he pumped gasoline into his personal vehicle and charged it to the South Nacogdoches County Volunteer Fire Department without permission.
"They have a charge agreement with several locations to get gasoline, and what I think happened is, sometimes we get to know clerks, and they don't think twice about it, and let someone charge gas on the account," Nacogdoches Police Department Public Information Officer Greg Sowell said.
Sowell is also the president of Emergency Services District No. 4, of which both the South Nacogdoches and Lake Nacogdoches fire departments are members.
Gillam was a member of the Lake Nacogdoches Volunteer Fire Department at the time of the theft.
"He resigned about two weeks ago," after about seven years with the department, Lake Nacogdoches VFD Fire Chief Mike Scott said.
South Nacogdoches VFD does not pay for firefighters to put gas in their personal vehicles, even if out on a call, South Nacogdoches VFD Chief George Millard said.
"In this instance, the suspect was certainly not authorized at any time to charge any type of fuel to another fire department," Sowell said.
There were reportedly four charges between the months of June and July 2010 totaling more than $150, but more instances could be found, Sowell said.
Gillam had a 2005 conviction for theft by check from Crockett County, according to the Crockett County clerk's office.