Former Falls Twp Fire Co. Presidents Charged With Stealing $46K

Two former presidents of Falls Township Fire Company #1 were charged Monday with stealing more than $46,000 from the volunteer organization, the Bucks County District Attorney announced.

Christopher J. Carlin, 48, is accused of taking $34,896.59. Gary Margerum, 61, is charged with stealing $11,198.22.

Carlin served as president in 2017 and treasurer prior to that. Margerum was president from 2009-2016.

Both face charges of theft by unlawful taking, a felony of the third degree. They were arraigned by video before Magisterial District Judge Jan Vislosky of Fallsington. Bail was set at $50,000 unsecured for both.

Prosecutors allege Carlin stole the funds from mid-March 2013 through mid-August 2017. He was removed as a fire company member in December 2017.

Margerum is accused of thefts from September 2013 through September 2016, shortly before he resigned on Oct. 3, 2016.

Margerum allegedly made personal purchases that were not authorized with two fire company credit cards. Margerum and Carlin allegedly co-signed a withdrawal slip for $3,035 from the fire company’s bank account. That money was used to rent a house at the Jersey Shore, according to a probable cause affidavit.

In addition to that withdrawal, Carlin made $24,688.96 in unauthorized purchases with the fire company’s Visa card, and took $8,690.13 in cash from unauthorized fire company checks issued directly to him, the affidavit said.

Financial irregularities first were spotted by an accountant the fire company had hired to perform an unrelated task, according to the affidavit.

Image via Bucks DA