Donald A. Ennis, a 43-year-old resident of St. Albans, has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for committing wire fraud. This sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release, and he is required to pay $513,072.28 in restitution. Ennis admitted to filing false insurance claims after intentionally setting fire to his home and defrauding a volunteer fire department while serving as its finance and operations manager.
Court documents reveal that Ennis purchased a residence on Ridgeview Way in St. Albans in October 2018 with mortgage assistance that required him to insure the property against loss. He obtained an insurance policy covering up to $161,100 for the dwelling and $120,825 for its contents. The policy excluded losses due to intentional acts by Ennis.
On February 15, 2021, Ennis set fire to his residence, resulting in total loss of the property and its contents. He falsely reported the incident as accidental and filed multiple fraudulent claims from February 21 to March 19, 2021, receiving $347,237.70 from his insurance company.
Ennis also worked at a volunteer fire department in Kanawha County from at least 2009 through 2022 as finance and operations manager. During this time, he accessed the department's bank debit card for unauthorized withdrawals and purchases totaling $153,728 for personal use.
“This prosecution sends an important and firm message that those who commit arson for financial gain will be prosecuted and brought to justice,” stated Acting United States Attorney Lisa G. Johnston. “The fire put others at risk – first responders as well as neighbors. The defendant also deprived the volunteer fire department of vital funds.”
Johnston acknowledged the investigative efforts of several agencies including the West Virginia State Auditor’s Office Public Integrity and Fraud Unit (PIFU), the West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner-Special Investigations Division, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
United States District Judge Joseph R. Goodwin delivered the sentence while Assistant United States Attorney Erik S. Goes handled prosecution duties.
Further information about this case can be found on PACER under Case No. 2:24-cr-129.
