LOGAN, Iowa (AP) - A former Missouri Valley fire chief accused of lying to police about his credentials and the steps he was taking to investigate two suspected arsons has been given a suspended 30-day jail sentence.
Johnnie Walker pleaded guilty to providing false information to authorities. In return, prosecutors dropped a charge of interfering with official acts, The Omaha World-Herald reported (https://bit.ly/1Fv3sXP ) Saturday.
Walker was also ordered Friday to pay $120 in court costs.
Walker resigned from his post as chief of the Missouri Valley volunteer department after he was arrested in March following fires at two vacant houses.
Missouri Valley Police Chief Ed Murray said Walker told him he was a certified arson investigator when he was not. Murray also said Walker told him he had taken samples from the scene of one of the fires to a crime lab in Ames when he had not.
“There’s not even a lab in Ames to test it,” testified state arson investigator John Ticer. “That was our first clue he was not telling the truth.”
In an interview with the newspaper on Friday, Walker admitted lying about taking samples to an Ames lab. Regarding his claim that he was a certified arson investigator, Walker said he had taken arson investigation classes and thought he was qualified to investigate fires. He said he had done such investigations in the past.
Murray said he has no evidence that Walker had anything to do with setting the fires.
Coty Cates, 19, of Missouri Valley has pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree arson in connection with one of the fires. He received a suspended fine of $1,000 and was ordered to pay restitution to the owner.
___
Information from: Omaha World-Herald, https://www.omaha.com
Please read our comment policy before commenting.