Former Seaville Fire Department Treasurer Sentenced for Stealing from Company

The former treasurer of the Seaville Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company has been sentenced to 364 days in the county jail as a condition of five years of probation for stealing $19,000 by using fire company funds to reimburse himself for personal expenses, Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced Friday morning.

Michael Petrella, 26, of Seaville, previously pleaded guilty to one count of third-degree misapplication of entrusted property.

Petrella must pay restitution of $19,308 to the fire company, and he is permanently barred from holding public employment.

Petrella joined the fire company in 2006, and was named treasurer in 2010.

He admitted that from 2010 to 2013, he fraudulently used fire company funds to reimburse himself for personal expenses, including beer, diapers and assorted personal items.

Petrella had purchased these items, kept the receipts and then issued fire company checks to himself to cover the cost.

The crime was uncovered during an investigation into former chief Eugene Spiegel and his son, Jacob.

Eugene Spiegel was sentenced to five years in state prison earlier this month after he admitted that he received $46,000 in fraudulent invoices and receipts he submitted for reimbursement to the fire company and Upper Township Fire Commissioners.

Jacob Spiegel, has been admitted to a pre-trial intervention program after admitting that he received a reimbursement of $1,275 for training that he did not attend while volunteering for the Seaville fire company.

The attached image of Michael Petrella was previously provided by the Attorney General