The former Olney fire chief has admitted to stealing more than $50,000 over four years from the rural department.
Kenneth Morehead pleaded guilty to felony theft and misdemeanor bail jumping on May 22 in Flathead County District Court. Morehead will be sentenced on Aug. 10.
According to court records, Flathead County Finance Director Sandra Carlson contacted the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office in July 2016 after finding that the Olney Fire Department had a negative balance. An audit of the account had found that Morehead had used the account to fund personal purchases between 2012 and 2016. As county officials dug deeper into the record books, they discovered that tens of thousands of dollars had been spent at local auto parts businesses and grocery markets with little or no documentation.
A few days later, a sheriff’s deputy interviewed Morehead who allegedly admitted to using the fire department’s account for personal purposes. In light of the allegations, Morehead stepped down from both his position as the volunteer fire district’s chief and as a member of the board of trustees that oversees the district, which is funded through county tax dollars.
Morehead initially pleaded not guilty to the charge of theft and was set to stand trial this spring. Last month, Morehead failed to appear at a pre-trial conference and he was charged with bail jumping. He was arrested soon after.