Whitehouse Police Chief and Deputy Included in Financial Fraud Investigation

Whitehouse Police Chief Rick Waller

(Image courtesy KYTX CBS 19)

Whitehouse, Texas

A number of officials in Whitehouse are under investigation for financial irregularities and other undisclosed charges, according to Constable Dustin Rust, Smith County Precinct 3.

“We have been conducting the investigation for pretty close to five months now,” Rust said. “The only reason we released the information is because we had to notify the city [of Whitehouse].”

The list of those under investigation includes Ronny Fite, Chief of the Whitehouse Volunteer Fire Department, Whitehouse Police Chief Rick Waller, and other police personnel.

The focus of the investigation, as of today, involves fuel usage. Whitehouse has for more than a year used a program that dispenses fuel electronically and all use is tracked by computer, which includes the vehicle’s odometer reading and other data.

“Because of the complexity of the case, we have focused on one charge out of several at this time,” Rust said in a news release.

Rust said other charges for other officials, some possibly in the fire department, may be pending and that his office will forward the evidence to the Smith County District Attorney.

“We’ll turn it into the D.A. and grand jury to decide what they want to do with it,” he said.

Waller is being investigated for acquiring fuel in his personal vehicle from city pumps while being reimbursed by the city for a vehicle allowance. He was allegedly getting reimbursement from the city while using city fuel.