Nevada County grand jury indicts Fire Safe Council's executive director on fraud, embezzlement charges

A Nevada County criminal grand jury indicted the executive director of the Fire Safe Council on more than two dozen felony charges, including embezzlement and fraud, prosecutors said on Sunday. 

The indictment was returned on April 30, indicting Jamie Jones and Christopher Wackerly. Jones is listed as the executive director of the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County and Wackerly was listed as the director of field operations, prosecutors said.  

Charges include embezzlement, grand theft, money laundering, mortgage fraud, insurance fraud, perjury, forgery and other related offenses. The charges include special allegations that the conduct involved a pattern of related activity that caused more than $100,000 in losses, prosecutors added. 

Prosecutors said this comes after a two-year investigation. They say the grand jury found probable cause that over about six years, Jones and Wackerly "engaged in a significant misappropriation of taxpayer funds."

They say the funds were entrusted to the Fire Safe Council for fire prevention and community safety purposes. The two are also accused of misuse of public benefits, fraudulent representations to government agencies and financial transactions alleged to conceal proceeds of criminal activity.

Jones and Wackerly are expected to be arraigned in the coming week. The Nevada County Jail's website showed Sunday night that Wackerly remained in custody. 

The Fire Safe Council is a nonprofit that works to make Nevada County safer from wildfires, according to its website. This is done through fire safety projects, partnerships and education. 

Jones' bio on the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County's website says she has more than 15 years of experience in creating financial plans. 

Wackerly's bio says he is "passionate about creating solutions with positive outcomes for fire safety, community resilience, and sustainable land management."