FBI to arrest Denton County fire chief for allegedly stealing from firefighter pension fund, sources say

ARGYLE, Texas — The FBI is in the process of arresting Denton County Emergency Services District No. 1 Fire Chief Mac Hohenberger after he allegedly stole money from the fire department’s pension fund, sources told WFAA.

Officers are waiting for Hohenberger at DFW Airport, where he is returning from Las Vegas, according to sources.

FBI authorities were at an Argyle fire station earlier Thursday looking for evidence related to the theft of pension funds, sources added. 

Argyle Mayor Bryan Livingston said he is “shocked and dismayed something like this is going on in Argyle.”

Livingston stressed that Station 511, or Denton County ESD No. 1, is not under the jurisdiction of the city of Argyle.

A lawsuit was filed a year ago against Denton County ESD No. 1, where Hohenberger served as chief, and against Hohenberger himself by a former engineer with the district, Harold “Trey” Ring.

The suit stated Hohenberger maintained all of the department’s finances, leading to problems like employees not being paid for several days after payday. He was also the sole administrator of the department’s 401(k) plan.

This 401(k) plan held $3,478,428 in assets, the suit stated, with about 33 beneficiaries. Hohenberger had been listed as the plan administrator since at least 2010.

“As the 401K’s administrator and as AVFD’s sole financial manager, Hohenberger removed funds from each employees’ paycheck for the purposes of putting the funds in the individual employee’s 401K account,” the suit stated. “However, Hohenberger failed to maintain a habit and practice of properly and timely moving these funds to the employees’ individual accounts or timely providing AVFD’s matching funds.”

There was supposed to be a hearing Friday where an outside auditor would review the 401(k) fund, but that hearing was postponed.

A job posting on Denton County ESD ESD No. 1 shows the department is hiring for a new fire chief, and stated Hohenberger retired after 30 years with the district.