NJ volunteer firefighter gets 3 years in prison for stealing $60K from fire company

MARLBORO — A volunteer firefighter will serve three years in prison after admitting Monday that he wrote more than $60,000 in checks to himself from the account of the Robertsville Volunteer Fire Company in Marlboro, where he served as treasurer.

Chester A. Jameson, 52, of Old Bridge, pleaded guilty to one count of third degree theft by deception for the theft, which took place over a period of about six years, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni said in a statement Tuesday.

The prosecutor said that between August 2009 and January 2015, Jameson, a volunteer firefighter and treasurer of the Robersville fire company, wrote more than 100 checks to himself from the organization's account. Jameson also wrote several checks payable to "cash" and pocketed the money, authorities said.

Jameson settled on a plea agreement, Gramaccioni said, which includes a three-year sentence in a New Jersey state prison. Since he is a public official, Jameson will be required to serve at least two years of that sentence before he becomes eligible for parole, authorities said.

Monmouth County Superior Court Judge David F. Bauman also ordered Jameson to step down from his position in the fire company and he will no longer be able to hold public office in the future.

As part of the plea agreement, Jameson was also ordered by the judge to forfeit his pension and pay $60,000 in restitution.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.