James Daly, 42, of 504 East Franklin Avenue in Edgewater Park, N.J. was arrested Monday. He is charged with theft, witness tampering, obstruction of justice and related charges.
Burlington County Prosecutor Robert Bernardi says the alleged offenses occurred in August and September 2011, when Daly was serving as chief of the Beverly-Edgewater Park Ambulance Squad. Bernardi says Daly was also managing the squad's finances as well, after the organization's treasurer become ill in May 2011.
Bernardi says during this time, Daly contacted the squad's payroll company and increased his own salary by nearly $15,000, from $53,560 to $68,500, without asking approval from the squad's executive board. He also allegedly used about $450 in ambulance squad money to buy gasoline for his personal vehicles.
In addition, prosecutors say when their office began to investigate, Daly created a fraudulent letter, purportedly written by another member of the squad, saying that the squad's treasurer, now deceased, had given Daly permission to gas up his personal vehicles using squad money.
Daly surrendered to prosecutors Monday. He has been released on 10 percent of $25,000 bail. Prosecutors say the case will now be presented to a Burlington County Grand Jury for indictment.
