The former treasurer of the Pinetown Volunteer Fire Department and Pinetown Rescue & EMS Squad has been indicted on five counts of embezzlement after allegedly siphoning roughly $200,000 from department accounts over two years. Terry William Draper was arrested and booked into the Beaufort County jail under a $50,000 secured bond following the indictment.
According to WCTI, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation agents began looking into Draper after learning he allegedly withdrew money from the fire department, EMS squad and combined association accounts without the boards’ knowledge or approval. Investigators say the alleged theft took place across 2024 and 2025, with the total estimated at around $200,000.
How the Alleged Scheme Unfolded
Draper served as treasurer for both the Pinetown Volunteer Fire Department and the Pinetown Rescue & EMS Squad, positions that put him in control of financial accounts for all three entities, including the combined association. NCSBI said the alleged withdrawals happened without either board signing off, a detail the agency flagged as central to how the case came together. The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office and the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office both assisted investigators as the case developed.
Draper is now facing five counts of embezzlement, and the case remains active. The outlet’s report notes that the investigation is ongoing and that additional charges may be sought as the probe continues, though no further details on the scope of any future charges have been released.
What North Carolina Law Says About the Charge
The embezzlement counts Draper faces fall under a statute specific to people who control money by virtue of their position. North Carolina law, codified as G.S. 14-90, addresses embezzlement of property received by virtue of office or employment, the category under which a volunteer department treasurer accused of misusing funds would typically be charged.
Cases involving volunteer fire department finances have surfaced elsewhere in North Carolina in recent years. The North Carolina Department of Insurance announced charges against a Yadkin County fire department treasurer accused of stealing department funds, while a separate case saw a former Caldwell County fire chief arrested on charges of embezzling $155,299 from his volunteer department, as detailed by the North Carolina Department of Insurance. Those cases are separate matters and not directly connected to the Pinetown investigation.
For now, Draper remains jailed on the $50,000 secured bond tied to the five embezzlement counts. Investigators have not said when additional charges, if any, might be filed, and the case continues to develop.
