Fire Safe Council Directors Indicted in Sweeping Fraud Case; Jamie Jones Remains at Large

The unfolding criminal case against the leadership of the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County has taken a dramatic turn, with Executive Director Jamie Jones now the focus of an active manhunt following a wide-ranging felony indictment.

On April 30, 2026, a Nevada County criminal grand jury returned a true bill indicting Jamie Jones and Director of Field Operations Christopher Wackerly on more than two dozen felony charges. The Nevada County District Attorney’s Office explained, “The indictment includes charges of embezzlement, grand theft, money laundering, mortgage fraud, insurance fraud, perjury, forgery, and related offenses, along with special allegations that the conduct involved a pattern of related felony activity resulting in losses exceeding $100,000, an aggravated white-collar crime enhancement under California law.” 

While Wackerly was arrested on the afternoon of May 1 and booked into Wayne Brown Correctional Facility with bail set at $100,000, Jones has not been located. As of May 3, an active warrant remains in place for Jones, 46, of Grass Valley, and authorities have not confirmed her whereabouts.

Wayne Brown Booking for Wackerly

Active Warrant for Jamie Jones, Nevada County Sheriff’s Office

The Grand Jury Report

District Attorney Jesse Wilson’s office wrote, “The grand jury found probable cause to believe that, over an approximately six-year period, the defendants engaged in a significant misappropriation of taxpayer funds. These funds were entrusted to the Fire Safe Council of Nevada County for critical fire prevention and community safety purposes, as well as other publicly funded programs and services. Additional alleged conduct includes misuse of public benefits, fraudulent representations to government agencies, and financial transactions alleged to conceal proceeds of criminal activity.” 

The “Follow the Money: Fire Safe Council’s Accountability” Grand Jury report examined financial management, transparency, and governance issues within the Fire Safe Council (FSC) of Nevada County. It found significant discrepancies between FSC’s reported funding and official county records, as well as inconsistencies across financial disclosures made to the IRS, its board, and the public.

The report highlighted weak financial controls, including poor segregation of duties and inadequate oversight, increasing the risk of mismanagement. Audits and tax filings revealed irregularities, while a county-commissioned consultant identified additional concerns about accounting practices and internal controls.

Beyond finances, the FSC was found to lack required licenses and to demonstrate limited operational transparency. The organization allegedly failed to fully cooperate with oversight efforts and reduced public visibility into its activities. Governance issues were also noted, including board actions taken without proper documentation, potential violations of bylaws, and the improper removal of a board member.

Overall, the report concludes that deficiencies in financial accuracy, transparency, and board oversight undermine accountability, and it offers recommendations aimed at improving controls, compliance, and organizational governance.

Years of Investigation Come to a Head

The indictment is the result of a two-year official investigation that began as an inquiry into potential misuse of grant funds. According to the Nevada County District Attorney’s Office, investigators uncovered what they describe as a complex, multi-year scheme in which taxpayer funds—intended for wildfire prevention, community safety, and other public programs—were allegedly diverted for personal enrichment.

“The evidence presented to the grand jury indicates a flagrant misuse of taxpayer funds for personal enrichment and the use of organizational accounts as if they were personal accounts,” said District Attorney Jesse Wilson, who also emphasized that the charges remain allegations and that both defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Jones, who has appeared publicly as Executive Director of the Fire Safe Council, led an organization that claimed to support more than 130 Firewise USA® communities and frequently partnered with the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services. That relationship is now under renewed scrutiny, as the agency would have had direct insight into the council’s programs and effectiveness.

Questions about the organization’s financial practices are not new. In May 2024, local attorney Sue McGuire reported that the Nevada County Auditor and Office of Emergency Services had designated the Fire Safe Council a “high risk vendor.” Earlier warning signs date back to May 2018, when multiple staff members and board leaders—including David Hanson, Warren Knox, and JoAnne Fites-Kaufman—resigned amid internal concerns tied to then–Executive Director Joanne Drummond, whose contract was not renewed.

The investigation escalated in October 2024 when authorities executed a search warrant at Fire Safe Council offices, seizing evidence as part of the probe. Additional business connections have since surfaced linking Jones and Wackerly to Wildfire Mitigation LLC, where both have been listed as managers.

The LLC is registered at 13597 Jones Bar Road, property that seems to have been owned by a family member of Jones. The LLC was previously registered at 13368 Grass Valley Avenue in Grass Valley, California, where the FSC shop was located. 

FSC Received Millions 

The Fire Safe Council describes itself as “dedicated to making Nevada County safer from destructive wildfire through fire safety projects, partnerships, and education.” 

About a year ago, Jamie Jones shared that the Fire Safe Council was awarded $4.9 million in funding to provide home hardening services for low-income residents. According to the FSC’s September 18, 2024 press release, this was the first phase of a FEMA grant to provide a total of $7.8 million “for critical protection to Grass Valley, Nevada City, Rough and Ready, Penn Valley and North San Juan Communities.” Jones also shared, “Our first actions are to work with our Firewise Community partners within the project footprint to reach each resident and develop a personalized plan to achieve home hardening, defensible space and hazard fuels reduction treatments.” 

Arrest of Wackerly; Hunt for Jones

Jones and Wackerly are also associated with a residence at 21767 Cascade Crossing in Grass Valley, a property estimated at over $700,000. Wackerly was arrested next door at a neighboring home on Cascade Crossing. 

Despite the mounting allegations, Jones has not yet been taken into custody. 

An eyewitness recently reported seeing Jones about a week ago at a Chevron station at the intersection of Combie Road and Highway 49, driving what was described as a “tricked-out white truck,” before any allegations or grand jury reports were made public. 

What began as a narrow inquiry into grant oversight has grown into one of the most significant public corruption cases in Nevada County in recent years—now underscored by the unresolved question of Jones’ whereabouts.