A Kaufman County man who allegedly took out fraudulent loans in the name of his volunteer fire department has been charged with making a false statement to a bank, announced Acting U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Chad E. Meacham.
Denny C. Mackey, the 68-year-old former treasurer of the Crandall Volunteer Fire Department, was arrested at his residence in Richardson on Monday. He made his initial appearance in federal court this morning.
According to the indictment, between May 2011 and September 2013, Mr. Mackey allegedly obtained tens of thousands of dollars from financial institutions by applying for unauthorized loans purportedly to be used for fire department purposes, unbeknownst to the fire department’s leadership.
For example, as alleged in the indictment, Mr. Mackey fraudulently applied for a $75,000 loan purportedly for fire department expenses in August 2013. He falsely represented to the bank that the money would be used to fund the salary of a full-time fire department employee – knowing full well that the volunteer force didn’t employ any full-time staff.
Shortly after the bank issued the loan, which he concealed from the fire department, Mr. Mackey allegedly withdrew more than $50,000 – some out in cash and the rest by writing fire department checks to a company he controlled.
The following year, as reported by local media, the fire chief appeared before the Crandall City Council to report that the fire department had been forced to sell some of its trucks and equipment in order to pay off the fraudulent loan.
An indictment is merely an allegation of criminal conduct, not evidence. Like all defendants, Mr. Mackey is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in federal prison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marcus Busch and Fabio Leonardi are prosecuting the case.
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