MAHONING DEPUTIES Carwash lands 5 in hot water

The investigation began about 11 months ago after a locker break-in.
By PATRICIA MEADE
VINDICATOR CRIME REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Five deputies have been suspended for giving Mahoning County Jail inmates those "steadily depressin', low-down, mind-messin' workin'-at-the-carwash blues."
The lyric comes from the late singer-songwriter Jim Croce's "Workin' at the Carwash Blues."
Sheriff Randall A. Wellington said the carwash at the misdemeanant jail on West Commerce Street was being used to clean deputies' personal cars. The labor was supplied by inmates, who routinely wash sheriff's department vehicles, he said.
Wellington said the 30-day suspensions, agreed to by the employees, will be staggered. The suspensions were issued to:
U Cpl. Ronald Denson, 47, hired Dec. 21, 1981, loses $3,232 in pay.
U Deputy Christopher Flak, 36, hired Nov. 22, 1992, loses $2,894.
U Deputy Emit Meade Jr., 36, hired March 7, 1994, loses $2,894.
U Deputy Philip Whitman, 48, hired Dec. 2, 1992, loses $2,894.
U Deputy Gerald Whitman, 50, hired July 5, 1999, loses $2,192.
Dennis J. Bruner, 33, resigned when confronted with the evidence that inmates had washed his personal car, Wellington said. Bruner was hired Oct. 25, 1993, and quit Sept. 30.
Bruner was fired by Wellington in September 1999 after being involved in a domestic relations dispute, and a judge took away his right to carry a gun. Bruner appealed the decision and won his gun and job back in September 2000, according to Vindicator files.
Wellington said he considered theft-in-office charges against the deputies and sent the files to Prosecutor Paul J. Gains. "Gains and his staff went over the files and felt it didn't meet the evidence rules for theft-in-office," the sheriff said.
Locker break-in
The carwash investigation began about 11 months ago after the discovery that a locker had been broken into at the garage that houses the carwash bay, Wellington said Tuesday.
Tools and carwash supplies were taken from the locker, which presented a security concern because the tools could have been used as weapons, said Maj. Mike Budd. The decision was made to install a video camera in the garage, he added.
Video surveillance didn't turn up any more locker break-ins or the thief, but it did reveal that deputies were having their personal vehicles washed by inmates, the sheriff said. The work didn't extend to detailing -- cleaning the inside and waxing, he said.
Inmates, the sheriff said, didn't complain about washing deputies' vehicles. He said he has no evidence, but suggested that the prisoners may have received extended privileges, such as being permitted to smoke or stay up late, in return for not turning in the deputies.
Wellington said once the internal affairs investigation was complete, the inmates were questioned and gave statements.
Then, the deputies, some of whom appeared on the video surveillance tape, were confronted with the facts.
"At first, they denied it, then eventually admitted their part and agreed to suspensions," the sheriff said.
"It's ironic that the department's rank and file lodged complaints with the news media regarding lack of jail personnel and jail safety issues, yet they can find time to breach security to have inmates perform personal errands."
meade@vindy.com