Washington County Ambulance District Administrator Sentenced on Corruption Charges

            St. Louis – William Gum, 49, of Potosi, Missouri, was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment today for his defrauding of a federal benefits program.  He was also ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution to the Washington County Ambulance District and forfeited $95,000 to the United States of America.  In November 2018, Gum pleaded guilty to four counts of public corruption, defrauding a federal program.  He appeared in federal court today before U.S. District Judge Catherine Perry. 

            According to court documents, Gum served as District Administrator of the Washington County Ambulance District.  In addition to working full time as the District Administrator, Gum worked as a part-time Captain in the Potosi Police Department. While collecting a full-time salary from the Ambulance District, Gum also collected a salary from the Potosi Police Department.  Despite Ambulance District restrictions to the contrary, Gum consistently paid himself additional salary and benefits pulled from public funding -- while also collecting a significant salary and benefits from the Potosi Police Department. 

         More specifically and among other things, Gum paid himself more of a salary than was authorized by the Ambulance District; used Ambulance District credit cards for personal purchases; and used Ambulance District funds to pay health insurance benefits for his family members.  (Other Ambulance District employees were required to pay those premiums out-of-pocket.)  Over the course of at least ten years -- including between 2012 to 2017 -- Gum embezzled over $262,000 of public funds.

           After today’s sentencing, U.S. Attorney Jeff Jensen stated, “Abuse of the public’s trust by anyone will not go undisclosed or unpunished.  We are pleased with the sentence imposed by the Court and appreciative of the investigators’ and prosecution team’s hard work.”

            This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeannette Graviss is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.