Ex KY Chief, Treasurer Charged with Taking Fire Department Funds

A former fire chief and his wife have been indicted for using more than $100,000 in public funds for their own use.

Former Robertson County Volunteer Fire Chief Larry Burden and his wife, Angela, were each held in lieu of $114,000 bail, according to WCPO.

They are accused by Kentucky State Police for using fire company money for themselves between 2014 and 2023. 

Angela Burden was treasurer of the fire department.

Charges include abuse of public trust more than $100,000, complicity abuse of public trust of more than $100,000, theft by unlawfully taking all others $10,000 to $100,000 and complicity theft by unlawful taking $10,000 to $100,000.

Many in Mt. Olivet knew the Burdens.

One of them is Dewey Cooper, who was one of the members of the Grand Jury who voted to return the indictment. 

He told reporters there was too much incriminating paperwork — roughly a stack of papers 10 inches tall — from investigators.

"I had to. I could have abstained, I guess, but I had to. It was all 12 of us."

Still, he hopes the couple will escape prison time. 

"Maybe restitution? I don't know. It's going to take awhile. I mean, if it was $1,000 or something it's different, but that figure? That's tough."