Former Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Stealing Raffle Proceeds

ZANESVILLE, Ohio–A former South Zanesville firefighter has pleaded guilty to embezzling thousands of dollars in community raffle funds

29-year-old Timothy Pulley of Zanesville entered a guilty plea to a Prosecutor’s bill of information to charges of theft in office and tampering with evidence.

According to the Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office, in early 2025 the South Zanesville Fire Department, through its fundraising club, organized a raffle fundraiser to support the purchase of a new ambulance.

Several employees received tasks for the raffle’s operations. Pulley was tasked with managing the payment platforms which are where raffle funds were received. The platforms included Stripe, Shopify, and PayPal.

Investigations into the internal theft report revealed that between May and August of this year Pulley embezzled over $32,000 in raffle proceeds from the South Zanesville Fire Department . Officials said Pulley transferred funds into his personal accounts and used the money for rent, living expenses, and the purchase of a new motorcycle.

Pulley is facing a possible sentence of four years in prison and restitution in the amount of $32,449.46.