By Harvey Rice
The Houston Chronicle
GALVESTON, Texas — A Galveston County grand jury has indicted the former Crystal Beach fire chief on two counts of mishandling $70,000 in public money, the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office said Friday.
The grand jury indicted David Miles Loop, 56, former chief of the Crystal Beach Volunteer Fire Department, on a count of theft by a public servant and a count of misapplication of fiduciary property.
The indictment is the result of a nine-month investigation by the sheriff’s office.
Neither Loop nor his attorney could be reached for comment.
Loop is accused of running up $25,000 in charges on the fire department credit card at a Louisiana race track and casino and misappropriating more than $45,000 in department funds.
If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison on the theft charge and 10 years on the misapplication charge, and a fine of up to $10,000 on each charge.
His bond was set at $15,000.
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