Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet
Former seasonal state employee ordered to jail, told to pay restitution for credit card fraud, theft

PINEVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 30, 2006) - A former Kentucky Division of Forestry (KDF) seasonal employee who admitted using state credit cards to buy motor fuel for his personal use has been sentenced to five years in prison and ordered to pay restitution.

Under a plea agreement, Tommy L. Hubbard, of Barbourville, will spend 90 days in the Bell County Jail. He will be placed on supervised probation for the balance of the five-year sentence, provided he repays $2,323.64 - the amount of his fraudulent fuel purchases - within two years.

Hubbard was a KDF interim employee who worked during fire seasons. He was terminated Jan. 31 and arrested April 5 following an investigation by the Office of Inspector General of the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet (EPPC), parent agency of KDF. Leah MacSwords, director of KDF, requested the investigation.

Hubbard was indicted on two counts of fraud for using two cards issued by FleetOne, the fuel provider for Kentucky state government, to make fuel purchases in December and January. He also was charged with one count of theft because one card was stolen from a KDF truck. Hubbard entered a guilty plea in Bell Circuit Court on Aug. 18.

"It’s the nature of court orders that the Division of Forestry is listed as ‘the victim’ in this case, but in truth the victims are the taxpayers of Bell County and of the commonwealth," EPPC Secretary LaJuana S. Wilcher said. "Misuse of a state credit card is stealing from taxpayers, and it will not be tolerated."