Deputy sues sheriff, Westmoreland County
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A part-time sheriff’s deputy in Westmoreland County has sued the county and Sheriff Jonathan Held in federal court, saying he’s been denied full-time status because of his obligations as a Marine reservist.
Jonathon Sutton, 28, of Greensburg, a military police officer and a sergeant in the Marine Corps Reserves who has served overseas, said in his suit filed Wednesday that he has not been hired full time despite being more qualified than some other deputies who have been hired.
He and his lawyer, Timothy O’Brien, said that since 2015, the sheriff’s office has hired or promoted at least a dozen others who were not reservists or service members and are less qualified. They said the department recently hired a captain, for example, who had no prior military or police experience.
“They don’t want to deal with anyone who has any kind of obligation,” Sgt. Sutton said Wednesday.
Sgt. Sutton joined the Marines in 2011 and has been a part-time deputy since 2015.
He said that since June 2016, he has applied at least 10 times for promotion to full time.
The suit is asking for injunctive relief, compensatory and punitive damages, and attorney’s fees.
Sheriff Held said in a statement that his office does not discriminate against anyone.
“This claim is especially atrocious because my grandfather was a World War II veteran,” he said. “We have over 10 active military personnel and veterans employed in this office. The facts of this case will come out, and in the end it will prove to be just another piece to a political witch hunt.”
Sheriff Held, who is named as a defendant in both his individual and official capacities, was charged last month by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s office with theft of services, theft by unlawful taking and conflict of interest. He is accused of directing on-duty deputies to collect political contributions for his 2015 re-election campaign.