By Olivia Hampton
Former Buena Vista Fire Chief Butch Lawhorn is scheduled for a March 7 hearing on charges of forgery and obtaining money under false pretenses.
Lawhorn was indicted on Jan. 22 on 27 counts of obtaining money by false pretenses and 50 counts of forgery. He was arrested and posted bond of $10,000 two days later.
Lawhorn is accused of forging certificates for swift water rescue classes that he was not qualified to teach. He was charging his students more than $200 for those classes. The indictment includes classes taught during the summers of 2011, 2012, and 2013.
State police began the investigation into Lawhorn’s water rescue classes after four members of the Glasgow Fire Department were injured during Lawhorn’s course in August 2013.
Members of the Lexington and Glasgow fire departments, as well as other officials involved in the case, decline to comment.