Police: Area Volunteer Firefighter Faces Theft Charges for Not Returning Raffle Ticket Money

| February 3, 2023

SHIPPENVILLE BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – A volunteer firefighter has been criminally charged for allegedly stealing raffle tickets from the fire department.

According to court documents, Clarion-based State Police filed criminal charges against 19-year-old Zachary Allen Bishop, of Shippenville, in Magisterial District Judge Jarah Lee Heeter’s office on Thursday, February 2.

The charge stems from an incident that occurred at the Shippenville-Elk Township Volunteer Fire Department on Main Street in Shippenville Borough, Clarion County, between the dates of July 1, 2022, and August 13, 2022.

According to a criminal complaint, Zachary Bishop was an apprentice member of the Shippenville-Elk Township Volunteer Fire Department in July of 2022. He accepted a book of 10 Sporting Raffle tickets valued at $25.00 each to sell for the fire department.

On the day of the raffle (August 13, 2022), he had not turned in any sold or unsold tickets, the complaint states.

Members of the department were told that Bishop “might have sold one or two tickets,” the complaint indicates.

Bishop was then told when he responded to an emergency call that he needed to return any sold or unsold tickets.

Since late August, he has not responded to any emergency calls or any other fire department functions, the complaint notes.

According to the complaint, Bishop was sent a registered letter on November 23, 2022, informing him he had 10 days from the date of receipt of the letter to contact the fire department to straighten out the situation. As of December 15, 2022, he had still not responded.

The total of the tickets is $250.00, according to the complaint.

The following charge was filed against Bishop on February 2:

– Theft By Unlawful Taking – Movable Property, Misdemeanor 1

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, February 21, at 10:15 a.m. with Judge Heeter presiding. 


Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.

Category: Local News, News, Police & Fire Calls, Regional News

Jacob Deemer is a reporter for EYT Media Group, who is based out of Venango County. He started his career as a sports writer for a local newspaper before contributing to TheHockeyWriters.com as a beat writer for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has spent over 6 years covering sports, crime, and local news in Venango, Clarion, and Jefferson Counties.
Author Website
Author Twitter Profile
Author YouTube Profile