Former East Lyme fire marshal pleads not guilty

Former East Lyme Fire Marshal Christopher T. Taylor, charged with stealing more than $13,000 from the New London County Fire Marshal's Association while serving as the group's treasurer, pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned Wednesday in New London Superior Court.

Taylor, 45, of 9 Monticello Drive, East Lyme, resigned last month from his town position and was charged by state police with second-degree larceny. He is free on a $25,000 bond and has retained attorney Roger T. Scully from the Suisman Shapiro Law Firm, according to his court file. He is due back in court on Dec. 12.

Taylor had worked for the town for 15 years, the first 14 as deputy fire marshal and the past year as fire marshal, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. He served with the Montville Fire Department for five years before that.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, Joseph Lombardi, a state trooper and president of the New London County Fire Marshal's Association, brought the larceny allegations to state police.

Lombardi said that Taylor, the association's treasurer, had made 157 unauthorized transactions in varying increments, totaling $13,339, from the association's account from January 2016 until July 2019.

On Oct. 10, the same day Taylor submitted his resignation with the town, he admitted to state police that he took money from the association's account for the past five years.

Taylor told police that he had been struggling with money after having been divorced twice and needing to pay alimony and child support.

Taylor has no prior criminal history or arrests.