Montgomery, Alabama - Angelia Curran, former Deputy Chief of the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department and resident of Smiths Station, Alabama was sentenced today in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Alabama on federal charges of embezzlement of federal funds, United States Attorney George L. Beck, Jr., announced.

In October 2011, after being indicted by a federal grand jury for theft of federal funds, Curran pled guilty before a federal judge. Curran worked for the Friendship Volunteer Fire Department (“FVFD”) and submitted grant applications to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (“FEMA”) pursuant to FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Grant Program and FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters - Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Programs in 2005, 2006, and 2008. The grants were for money to purchase, among other things, personal protective equipment for FVFD personnel, automated external defibrillators, and items for general fire prevention and awareness for children. FEMA awarded the FVFD over $295,000.00 in grant money based upon the grant applications submitted by Curran. Between July 2006 and January 2010, Curran embezzled and stole $28,386.27 of these FEMA grant funds.

On today, Curran was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge W. Keith Watkins to five (5) years of probation, including six (6) months home confinement with electronic location monitoring. In addition to the sentence of probation, Chief Judge Watkins ordered Curran to pay a $100 assessment fee to the court and restitution in the amount of $28,386.27 to FEMA. Curran paid $5,000 of restitution at sentencing and agreed to pay the remaining amount of restitution in monthly installments of no less than $389.77 during her term of probation until the restitution is paid in full.

“As a general matter, the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General remains vigilant in seeking the prosecution of those, who attempt to defraud our government and federal programs, such as FEMA to the fullest extent of the Federal law,” said James E. Ward, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Office of the Inspector General.

This case was investigated jointly by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jerusha T. Adams prosecuted the case.

 

PRESS CONTACT: Clark Morris
Email: usaalm.press@usdoj.gov
Telephone: (334) 551-1755
Fax: (334) 223-7617

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