The former treasurer of a South Dakota volunteer fire department stands accused of stealing $170,000.
Denae Baustian, 46, of the Tea Fire Department in Lincoln County, was indicted last week by a grand jury on felony theft charges. The theft was discovered late last year.
Baustian had only been with the fire department since 2007, and became the treasurer in 2009. She apparently wasted no time, stealing the $170,000 over a 2 year period during which the department’s annual budget was around $100,000 per year.
Lincoln County State’s Attorney Tom Wollman says the amount will have a big impact the fire department, although Fire Department President Dale Cook says that residents are not in danger.
