HANNIBAL, N.Y. — Former Hannibal Fire Chief Chris Emmons was arrested for allegedly stealing $18,000 from the fire company while his father, Carl Emmons, Sr., was charged with stealing more than $2,500 in a scam connected to a go-kart track. That’s according to a recent news release from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Oswego County […]
HANNIBAL, N.Y. — Former Hannibal Fire Chief Chris Emmons was arrested for allegedly stealing $18,000 from the fire company while his father, Carl Emmons, Sr., was charged with stealing more than $2,500 in a scam connected to a go-kart track.
That’s according to a recent news release from State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli, Oswego County District Attorney Anthony J. DiMartino, Jr,. and the New York State Police.
Emmons was charged with third-degree grand larceny, first-degree offering a false instrument for filing, and first-degree falsifying business records. Meanwhile, Emmons,Sr. was charged with fourth-degree grand larceny.
According to the release, Emmons, who had previously attempted to start a go-kart track business on his own property, convinced the fire company to pay for and build a track on fire-company property. Emmons claimed the track would raise money for the Hannibal Fire Company and take the place of its bingo nights, according to DiNapoli.
The fire company spent $35,000 to build Hannibal Kartway, a weekend go-kart track in operation from 2017-2022. Emmons, his family members, and others ran the track. Proceeds from the sale of race registrations and pit fees were supposed to go to the Hannibal Fire Company, while other profits from raffles, membership dues, concessions, and rentals were to go toward track operation and maintenance.
DiNapoli’s office conducted an audit in 2020, determining that Emmons kept registration fees and stopped depositing any revenue into Kartway’s bank account. The comptroller’s office determined that in all, Emmons failed to turn over $18,000 from the track to the fire company.
Emmons Sr., was also involved in running Hannibal Kartway and had access to the Kartway bank account. Within days of being contacted by DiNapoli’s auditors in late October 2022, he closed the bank account and transferred the remaining funds of $2,522.27 to his personal account. The next day, he informed auditors the track operations would be permanently shut down, the release stated.
“The Emmonses allegedly diverted money meant to protect their community to fund their hobbies and pocket the proceeds,” DiNapoli said. “They will be held accountable for abusing their fire company and the community’s trust.”
Oswego County DA DiMartino added in the release, “I believe these investigations are important because they ensure the public’s trust in our not-for-profit and volunteer agencies.”
Emmons is scheduled to appear in court on March 12, following his initial appearance before Judge Steven Kempisty in Oswego Centralized Arraignment. His father was given a desk-appearance ticket and is due back in court March 5.
