Treasurer accused of stealing over $300,000 from town of Ackley and Langland County Rural Fire Control

ANTIGO ? A 69-year-old Langlade County man is being held on a $500,000 cash bail after being charged Thursday with taking money from the town of Ackley and the Rural Fire Control while he was treasurer.

Gary A. Kieper, of Antigo, faces charges of theft of more than $10,000 in a business setting, five counts of misconduct in public office, two counts of theft of more than $100,000 in a business setting and one count of theft of between $10,000 and $100,000 in a business setting. Langlade County Circuit Judge Fred Kawalski set the $500,000 cash bail during Kieper's appearance Thursday. Kieper also faces a misdemeanor charge of operating a gun while intoxicated in a separate case.

According to the Langlade County Sheriff's Office, in November, an Ackley board member filed a complaint that Kieper was mishandling town money. While investigating, the Sheriff's Office learned Kieper was also the treasurer for Rural Fire Control and there were concerns about the way he handled money for them as well, according to the Sheriff's Office.

During an extensive investigation, Langlade County Sheriff's Office detectives traced thousands of dollars that were transferred from the town of Ackley and Rural Fire Control accounts into various personal accounts owned by Kieper. The investigation revealed an excess of $300,000 had been stolen, the Sheriff's Office said.

Kieper is scheduled to make his next appearance April 1.

Contact Karen Madden at 715-345-2245 or [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @KMadden715, Instagram @kmadden715 or Facebook at www.facebook.com/karen.madden.33.

This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Town of Ackley treasurer accused of stealing over $300,000