Just another example of Bartlesville's "courageous Firefighters"!

Firefighter accused of embezzlement
By Tim Hudson From the E.E.
E-E County ReporterAssociate District Judge Curtis DeLapp found probable cause Friday for the arrest of a former Bartlesville firefighter accused of embezzling more than $160,000 from the firefighters union insurance fund.Lloyd Douglas Lay, 39, will likely face counts of embezzlement and delivery of a forged check. He will be charged on Monday afternoon.According to the Sept. 23 probable cause affidavit in the case, authorities reported that representatives from the Bartlesville Professional Firefighters Association reported that Lay had embezzled $166,653 from their fund.Lay had reportedly been with the insurance committee for the union for 12 years and was authorized, along with one other man, to handle funds and write checks on the account.
Problems for Lay began when an employee with 66 Federal Credit Union called OK Federal credit union concerning a suspicious check, according to the affidavit. Lay was reportedly attempting to deposit the check, in the amount of $9,432, into his account.When the bank contacted the signor on the check, the man reportedly said he did not sign any checks to the insurance fund and that he was not authorized to sign such checks.When union representatives confronted Lay about the check, he reportedly said he had not written any such check but then admitted that he had and that he had taken approximately $40,000 from the fund since March of 2004, the affidavit states. He later reportedly changed that figure to around $100,000. A union investigation into the incident reportedly revealed that the amount in question was $166,653 and that Lay had forged the signatures of three members on a total of 35 checks, according to the affidavit. All three of the men reportedly viewed the checks and have signed forgery affidavits. The checks range in amount from $1,659 to $94,32, reports indicate.
According to the affidavit, Lay reportedly told officers that he used the money for gambling.Lay reportedly resigned his position with the Bartlesville Fire Department on Monday. Fire officials could not be reached for comment. Lay was later released on $5,000 bond.