A former fire chief will have to pay back more than $25,000 and perform community service after taking a plea deal on a pair of embezzlement charges.
David Allen Knight, 54, pleaded guilty in Superior Court on Wednesday to two felony counts of embezzlement.
As part of the deal, Knight will have to pay back $25,625 to Hamlet Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Inc., the nonprofit rescue squad he took money from while being in charge, according to court documents.
While the fire department is operated by the city of Hamlet, the rescue squad is not — although the fire chief is traditionally head of both. The rescue squad pays the city to operate out of the fire department.
The money was scheduled to be paid to the clerk’s office within 24 hours of entering the plea. Knight was prepared to do so by check after court.