Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 4, 1993 TAG: 9311040146
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: KATHY LOAN STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PEMBROKE LENGTH: Medium
Billy Stephen Kerr, 36, is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Giles County General District Court on Nov. 16.
A criminal complaint filed with the clerk's office states that checking and savings account records as well as bingo receipts made Kerr a suspect.
The warrant and accompanying documents did not give an exact amount. Lt. Gary Price of the Giles County Sheriff's Office also declined to provide an exact amount.
Price said an investigation began after Pembroke Fire Chief Jerry Gautier alerted investigators to discrepancies in the department's financial records.
After a joint investigation by Giles County authorities and the state police, Kerr was arrested Oct. 24. The self-employed handyman was arraigned Oct. 26 and received a court-appointed attorney after signing a document stating he could not afford to hire one.
He is being held in the Giles County Jail.
Price said Kerr was in charge of bingo receipts. The majority of money suspected of having been embezzled came from bingo.
Gautier said Kerr had been suspended as a member of the department after failing to attend meetings and for not turning over the checkbook and other financial records needed for a regular audit.
The Fire Department sponsors bingo games on Mondays, Gautier said. Money raised from the games goes into the department's building fund, which Kerr controlled. That account is separate from the department account for county and town funds and donations from the public, Gautier said.
"We're just thankful that none of the people's money" is missing, Gautier said.
The chief wanted to make it clear that donations by the community in response to the department's fund-raising letter campaign are part of the department fund, not the building fund.
Kerr was elected treasurer of the building fund in December, Gautier said.
The warrants allege that the money was taken between June 7 and Sept. 8.
Court records also indicate that Kerr was on parole for a 1989 conviction of manufacturing marijuana. A jury sentenced him to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Authorities said Kerr did serve some of that time but, if convicted of the embezzlement charge, would face serving all of the time if his parole were revoked.
by CNB