RED BANKS, Miss — A former volunteer fire chief and department secretary in Marshall County, Mississippi, have been convicted of embezzlement.
Mark Hanna and Linda Mannon were arrested in October 2021, accused of embezzling more than $35,000 from the Red Banks Volunteer Fire Department. Hanna is the former fire chief, and Mannon worked as the secretary for the department.
Prosecutors said the two embezzled both money and equipment from the department.
Hanna was sentenced to 10 years with all suspended, and five years supervised probation. He was also ordered to pay $3417.15 restitution to department and court costs and assessments.
Mannon was sentenced to 20 years with all suspended, and five years supervised probation and five years unsupervised probation. She must pay $49,187.12 restitution to department plus court costs and assessments.
Mississippi State Auditor Shad White said with the felony convictions, the two are banned from ever handling public money again.
“Unfortunately this is one of several cases my team has cracked involving funds that should have been spent on fire department services,” said White. “Putting a stop to this kind of theft is important because those dollars should be spent on more fire protection for the firefighters and citizens. Thank you to our great investigators who worked this case.”
Suspected fraud can be reported to the Auditor’s office online at www.osa.ms.gov or by calling 1-800-321-1275.
