Tuesday, February 21, 2012 EBENSBURG — A Wilmore woman who was treasurer of the Wilmore Volunteer Fire Department and her husband were sentenced Tuesday to long probationary terms for misappropriating $26,000 from the organization.

Helen Marra, 42, drew a seven-year probationary sentence from county Judge Patrick Kiniry on her guilty plea to a felony theft charge.  Her husband, Robert, 44, a former fire chief, was put on probation for five years on his guilty plea to a misdemeanor theft charge.

The woman was accused by the state police of misappropriating most of the money, including $2,050 in checks that she wrote to her husband, who cashed them.

Kiniry ordered them to pay full restitution – $11,000 directly to the fire company and $15,000 to a bonding company.  The Marras said they could afford to pay $150 each per month toward the restitution.  Both also were ordered to perform 20 hours of community service a month.

The judge said he’d like to see them do the community service for a fire service, but admitted that he didn’t know whether any fire companies in the area would accept their help.  He urged the couple to pay off the restitution as quickly as possible.

Bryan Shuagis, the fire company’s vice president, said, “They’ve never shown any remorse. They broke the honor and trust they had (in the company). They caused a financial burden for our fire company.”

full story at: http://tribune-democrat.com/local/x402364217/Couple-get-probation-for-theft-of-fire-funds