The Keyes Fire Department only has one firefighter on active duty after the Keyes Fire Board fired nearly every one in the department last Thursday, concluding the board’s investigation into the conduct of Assistant Fire Chief Rodger Jones, who was charged with firing a cadet for viewing and adult Website that featured his wife, Alexas Jones, aka Chantel Lace.
It was a pyrrhic victory for Captain Herb Collier, the leader of the walkout that instigated the investigation. He obtained his goal of having Roger Jones and his father Chief Eddie Jones removed from their positions, but was fired himself.
According to the Modesto Bee, 20 volunteer firefighters still in training were released from duty, thirteen of whom can reapply for their volunteer jobs at a later date.
Alexas Jones has been placed on administrative leave, pending the resolution of an unrelated case in nearby Modesto.
The board approved the terminations, releases, and suspensions unanimously, except in the case of one cadet and Alexas Jones, who both had one unknown board member vote in their favor. The board gave no reason for their decisions.
The Joneses intend to appeal the decision, question the legality of the proceedings.
The investigation stemmed from the walkout of seventeen firefighters, most of whom were cadets, in January. The walkout, led by Collier, was supposedly to draw attention the firing of a cadet by Rodger Jones.
It was said at the time that the cadet had been fired for looking at Alexas Jones’ adult Website and then canceling a check that he had made to obtain a password for the site in question.
Alexas Jones claimed the cadet viewed another porn site that had pictures of her, but not hers, while on duty at the station. According to Alexas Jones, the Webmaster of the site in question realized the cadet lived near Alexas and sent her the personal information of the cadet – which she recognized.
Alexas turned the matter over to her husband who intended to simply chastise the cadet, but then the cadet compounded his infractions by lying about them – and that’s what led to the cadet’s dismissal.
