JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A man who used to work at the Salvation Army is accused of helping himself to nearly $10,000 in gasoline on the charity's gas card.

Keith Williams, 39, was arrested on Wednesday and accused of employee theft.

According to the police report, he admitted to using the Salvation Army's fleet card to pump gas at various Gate stations around town into the tanks of people he met who were willing to pay him half the price on pump in cash.

Williams told police he had been doing it since January. According to the Salvation Army, its losses amounted to $9,600 -- money that should be going to help the men at the group's drug and alcohol rehabilitation center.

James Lariscy came to the Salvation Army as a client and is now its assistant program director.

"A little over five years ago, I came here. I was addicted to crack cocaine and alcohol and this place saved my life," Lariscy said.

How one of his jobs is stretching donations to help as many people as possible.

"There are so many people in need that we can't help all the people in Jacksonville that need this help, and every penny counts," Lariscy said.

Williams was also a client who got a job driving Salvation Army vehicles to make pickups to the Salvation Army's thrift store on Beach Boulevard. The thrift shop is one of the ways the charity raises money for its programs.

"When we lose the money, there's no other way to get it back," said Maj. Forrest McIntyre, who heads up the Salvation Army's rehab program. "We're gong to keep our faith and believe that people are going to still support us. We'll just have to cut back a little bit here and there and just make the best of it."

Williams was out on worker's comp and his access to the group's fleet account was to be cut off on March 26. When he attempted to use a fleet card Wednesday morning at a Gate on 103rd Street, the card was declined. He was arrested later that day.

Friday afternoon, Williams remained in the Duval County jail on $15,003 bond.