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MAYS LANDING -- Members of the local National Action Network gathered outside the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office today to protest a decision not to file criminal charges in an alleged sexual incident at an Atlantic City firehouse.

The allegations are that on a night in May, four young women -- two of them 16 years old -- entered Station 2 at Baltic and Indiana avenues, after Firefighter Richard Williams invited them in for pizza earlier that day. He then allegedly got at least one of the women to undress and at least one to touch his genitals. There were other firefighters present at the time. Williams, along with the two captains on duty and the man on watch, were disciplined in an administrative investigation that is ongoing.

Steven Young, the South Jersey chapter's president, said the group was able to find several violations under state law that Prosecutor Ted Housel could have brought before a grand jury.

"If we can do this research and find criminal acts, what's wrong with the prosecutor?" Young asked.

The seven people gathered tried to meet with Housel during their one-hour stand that began at noon, but he was out to lunch. Young said he left his number for the prosecutor.

In rendering his decision not to prosecute, Housel said his investigators found no criminal conduct. The age of consent in New Jersey is 16, he pointed out. And, although the men were working, official misconduct does not apply because the women were visitors, and not there as part of the firefighters' duties.

The National Action Network has named four men -- including Williams -- allegedly involved in the incident, but the lawyer of one of those men said his client wasn't even at the firehouse that night. The investigation confirmed this.

Young said his group named the men because there is a cloud over the entire department as a result of the allegations.

The Press of Atlantic City requested the shift schedule from the night in question, but the city denied it citing a state statute that says "a disclosure of such information would create a risk to persons and/or property."

But the city solicitor could not be reached today to answer how a past shift list would endanger anyone.

Young -- who has been complimentary of Mayor Lorenzo Langford's handling of the case -- said he did not agree with that decision.

"It's a point of public safety by not knowing who the individuals are involved," he said. "Now, every firefighter in Atlnatic City has a cloud on his head."

12 comments:

• executioner1 (307) posts 12:24 pm

  Notice not one on this group has protested the fact that the Callaways have been charged with numerous crimes and have been convicted on most counts casting a dark cloud over the entire community. Is this lack of any mention or involvement of condemnation what so ever a black thing?

• Ohmygoodness (157) posts 12:40 am

  That was a protest? Here I thought it was a shuttle bus to the county jail!!!!!

• captainzero (4) posts 10:47 pm

  I wonder if Steve Young was on city time during this protest. Good way to spend taxpayers money. Maybe Young was there making sure JR made it to court

• babies23 (30) posts 8:49 pm

  I know some of Atlantic City Fire Department and they are not Good Old Boys I'm taking about the ones that RIDE BIKES they will sleep and undress your mother if given a chance.............

• joe800 (40) posts 4:00 pm

  Defamation. Libel. Slander. Tortious Interference. Intentional Infliction Of Emotional Distress. Jaywalking. Littering. Theft of Services. Official Misconduct. Mail Fraud. Wire Fraud. Conspiracy. Attempted Kidnapping. Non-payment of Child Support. Failure to Wear Seat-Belt. Failure to use directional indicator. Crossing the center line. Failure to Yield. All committed in one day. ...If we can do this research and find criminal acts, what's wrong with the prosecutor?...

• BernieSchwartz (645) posts 3:45 pm

  I want to protest!! Why is this City worker endangering my tax dollars (lawsuits anyone?)? On my time no less.

• acchelsea (0) posts 2:52 pm

  I think Mr. Young has one of those NO-SHOW city jobs !

• acchelsea (0) posts 2:51 pm

  I think Mr. Young has one of those NO-SHOW city jobs !

• SouthJerseyGirl (67) posts 2:48 pm

  The fact that you want the behavior to be illegal doesn't mean it is. It may have been deplorable, but that's not the same thing as breaking the law. It's time to pull up the big girl panties and deal with reality. Unless they physically held these girls down or forced them to perform sexual acts, they didn't break the law. The age of consent in NJ is 16. Those girls can strip for whomever they choose...and unfortunately, they probably will.

• executioner1 (307) posts 2:40 pm

  Was it done on Steve Youngs lunch break or is he off?

• MikeyTBC (4) posts 1:44 pm

  What criminal acts did the Nat'l Action Network find that the prosecutor did not?

• Lew Carroll (410) posts 1:29 pm

  "Now, every firefifther [sic] in Atlnatic [sic] City has a cloud on his head." -- just like every black person in Atlantic City does (and every Press proofreader). "Fearful symmetry"!

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