Plea Deal For Treasurer In Fire Department Larceny

SPRING VALLEY, NY — Volunteer firefighter Christopher Nau, once Treasurer for the Columbian Engine Company and Assistant Treasurer for the Spring Valley Fire Department, has pleaded guilty to grand larceny.

Nau pleaded guilty to one felony count before Judge Kevin Russo on Dec. 8. As a condition of his plea deal, Nau will have to repay the $37,932.83 he stole from the fire department, Rockland County District Attorney Tom Walsh said in his announcement Tuesday. He had been indicted on four counts of grand larceny 3rd, and one count of attempted grand larceny 3rd related to the misuse of his role in each organization.

"I want to assure the public that money donated to the Spring Valley Fire Department and Columbian Engine Co., related to the tragic death of firefighter Jared Lloyd in March of 2021, were untouched and not related to this criminal investigation," Walsh said.

Nau's crimes were discovered after the Spring Valley Fire Department elected a new chief in June of 2020 who appointed a new treasurer and began a full audit of the department.

After finding questionable transactions and discrepancies in the treasurer reports, the department brought their findings to authorities. The Rockland County District Attorney's Office began a thorough investigation starting that fall that analyzed transactions related to various department accounts dating from Jan. 3, 2016 up until February 2021 that Nau oversaw in his role as Treasurer and assistant Treasurer, respectively.

Investigators discovered that $32,033 was taken from the Spring Valley Fire Department and $5,899 from the Columbian Engine Company.

Nau was removed from both treasurer positions and suspended by the department on Aug. 20, 2020.

His arrest in July was a huge blow to the fire department, still reeling from Lloyd's death in March in the massive blaze at the Evergreen Home for Adults, and from the arrests of six people in connection with that fire, which also killed a resident. One of those arrested, Raymond Canario, Spring Valley building inspector charged with filing false reports, is a volunteer firefighter with the department.

“Today’s guilty plea sends a clear message to any individual who is thinking about misusing volunteer Fire Department funds, we will investigate and prosecute you," Walsh said.

The case is scheduled for sentencing on March 2.