Aldie Volunteer Fire Dept. Treasurer Pleads Guilty to Embezzling $645,000

The treasurer of the Aldie Volunteer Fire Department pleaded guilty Wednesday to embezzling more than $600,000 over 17 years. The department is located at 39459 John Mosby Hwy., Aldie, near Chantilly.

Jerry Keith Cromer, Jr., 79, of Gainesville, pleaded guilty Wednesday to theft from an organization receiving federal funds.

Cromer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and full restitution when he is sentenced on Oct. 11.

Cromer served as treasurer of the Aldie Volunteer Fire Department from 1995 through 2012. The members of the fire department elected Cromer to this post. Cromer admitted that from 2000 to 2012, he intentionally embezzled and converted to his own use approximately $645,000 that belonged to the Aldie Volunteer Fire Department. 

He used these fire department funds to satisfy his personal mortgage payments, pay personal credit card bills and repair his automobile and for other personal expenditures. In addition to local community donations, the Aldie Volunteer Fire Department receives funding from Loudoun County and the federal government.

It is the second large embezzlement case reported at a Loudoun volunteer fire and rescue company, Leesburg Today reported. In May 2012, it was discovered that the treasurer of the Middleburg Volunteer Fire Department had embezzled more than $500,000 from the organization. He took his own life after questions surfaced about missing funds.

Leesburg Today also reported that the Loudoun Board of Supervisors is in the process of sweeping changes in the management of the county’s combined volunteer/career fire and rescue system. Included in those changes are requirements that each of the independent volunteer companies undergo regular financial audits to be reviewed by the county government.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Washington Field Office and the Virginia State Police. Assistant United States Attorney Mark D. Lytle is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

The FBI encourages anyone with information regarding similar allegations of fraud or corruption to call the FBI’s Northern Virginia Public Corruption tip line at (703) 686-6225.