Wilkes-Barre Fire Chief Sentenced to Prison for Embezzlement

John Yuknavich, the former Chief of the Wilkes-Barre Township Volunteer Fire Department, has been sentenced to six months in federal prison for stealing $45,000 from the fire department and Wilkes-Barre Township. Yuknavich, 51, was also ordered to serve six months of home confinement upon release from incarceration, followed by three years of supervised release.

According to United States Attorney Peter Smith, Yuknavich was responsible for ensuring the deposit of monthly funds received from Wilkes-Barre Township, as well as all other funds received either through charitable contributions or annual state aid received from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. However, Yuknavich allegedly deposited only part of the monthly $3,500 check received from Wilkes-Barre Township intended to pay fire department bills, and took the remainder of the check in cash, most of which he used for his personal benefit.

Federal law prohibits theft or intentional misapplication of $5,000 or more from local government programs that receive more than $10,000 in federal funds annually. The Government also filed an additional sentencing agreement wherein Yuknavich agreed to resign completely from the Wilkes-Barre Township fire department and the Wilkes-Barre Township Fire Hall in all capacities, effective immediately.

The prosecution is the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Luzerne County District Attorney’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police with the assistance of the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General. Prosecution is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Olshefski.

Yuknavich was ordered to pay $45,000 in restitution, and as part of the sentencing agreement, he must resign from the fire department and the fire hall in all capacities. The sentence handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Edwin M. Kosik is a stern reminder of the consequences of public corruption.

The case serves as a cautionary tale for public officials who abuse their positions of trust for personal gain. The people of Wilkes-Barre Township deserve better from their leaders, and it is the duty of law enforcement to hold accountable those who betray that trust.

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