Volunteer may have embezzled money to gamble
Published 9:25 am Wednesday, February 27, 2019
CASS COUNTY — A man charged with embezzling from the Central Cass Fire Department may have used the funds for gambling and other personal costs, according to information obtained from a probable cause document Tuesday.
Jesse Binns was arraigned in Cass County District Court Feb. 19 and charged with embezzling $1,000 or more, but less than $20,000 from a nonprofit or charitable organization.
Detective First Lt. Charles Christensen, of the Michigan State Police, testified before Magistrate Chris Rockafellow about the nature of the charge on Feb. 11.
Jesse Binns
Christensen said the investigation began on Sept. 19, 2019. He stated that the Central Cass Fire Department had a nonprofit account with the Greater Niles Community Federal Credit Union. Binns, who was serving as the assistant fire chief, and Jeff Locke, the chief, were the only ones with access to the account.
From January 2017 to September 2018, there were numerous unauthorized withdrawals and transfers from the nonprofit account into Binns’ personal account, Christensen testified. Several transfers took place at Four Winds Casino in Dowagiac in the form of ATM withdrawals.
According to Christensen’s analysis of the accounts, the dollar amount showed as a loss to that fund that is attributable to Binns alleged withdrawals or money transfers amounted to $19,895.14.
Several indicators link the withdrawals from the nonprofit account to Binns, Christensen said. He said one was that several of the transactions shown leaving the account went into Binns’ personal account. Christensen also testified that Binns had admitted to several members of the Central Cass Fire Department that he had a gambling issue and had taken money from the account to use for personal issues, including medical bills and gambling.
In addition to his service with the Central Cass Fire Department, Binns was known for his service as a Michigan State Trooper with the Niles post. He was suspended from his police duties without pay in September 2018.
Locke said in earlier interviews that Binns had been relieved of his volunteer role as assistant chief late last year.
Binns will next appear for a pre-exam conference at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Cass County District Court.
