A former Arkansas fire chief accused of using a firefighter’s payroll checks to divert municipal funds has pled guilty. Former Johnson Fire Chief Chance Lamar Wright entered the plea on August 6, 2026 in Washington County Circuit Court. Chief Wright had been charged with abuse of office and theft of property valued between $5,000 and $25,000. The case had been scheduled to go to a jury trial on August 17, 2026.

The charges arose from an investigation into payments made by the City of Johnson to Springdale firefighter Brian Copeland. According to the probable-cause affidavit, Johnson firefighters reported seeing time records indicating that Copeland had worked multiple shifts, although they did not recall seeing him at the station.

Investigators determined that the City of Johnson paid Copeland $8,865 between January 1 and May 13, 2025. The payments were approved by Chief Wright as Copeland’s supervisor.

Copeland allegedly admitted that he participated in the arrangement. According to the probable-cause affidavit, he told investigators that Chief Wright inflated his reported hours so Copeland could transfer part of the resulting pay to Chief Wright. The affidavit, as described in published reports, does not identify how Copeland transferred the money or how much Chief Wright ultimately received.

Copeland told investigators that he provided consulting assistance to Chief Wright and helped the department with various matters. He initially estimated that he worked between 20 and 40 hours per week before revising that estimate to between 20 and 25 hours. According to the affidavit, Copeland acknowledged that Chief Wright recorded his hours and inflated them so that Copeland could transfer part of the money to him.

During a telephone conversation with a Washington County Sheriff’s Office detective, Chief Wright reportedly asked about the best- and worst-case outcomes if he resigned. After asking about the possible jail time, Chief Wright allegedly told the detective: “It was like $800 a month. I mean, it was because I am getting taken to the cleaners due to my ex-wife.”

The City of Johnson learned of the investigation on May 5, 2025. Chief Wright resigned on May 13, 2025 and surrendered to authorities on May 27, 2025. He was released after posting a $1,500 bond.

Chief Wright initially entered a not-guilty plea through a written waiver of arraignment in June 2025. Following several continuances, the court scheduled an August 6, 2026 plea or omnibus hearing. The docket reflects that Chief Wright entered a plea that day, although it does not identify which of the two charges formed the basis of the plea or list the sentence imposed.

According to the Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Chief Wright received probation and was ordered to pay restitution. Copeland’s criminal case is scheduled to go to trial on August 20, 2026.