Original Coverage & Source Attribution: wtov9.com
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ohio — A legal dispute that has followed Mingo Junction for years took another turn Friday when former fire chief Brandon Montgomery appeared in Jefferson County court and pleaded no contest.
Montgomery’s case has been tied to allegations involving women who worked under him when he was Mingo Junction’s fire chief. The litigation has been ongoing since 2024.
In February 2025, Mayor Judy Ruckman terminated Montgomery from his position as village fire chief. After that, an investigation led to a special Jefferson County grand jury indictment on new charges, including telecommunications harassment.
Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Jane Hanlin said Montgomery will be placed on “community control sanctions,” which she described as requiring him to report regularly to the court and remain subject to searches and monitoring.
“He’ll be placed on a period of what’s called community control sanctions where he has to report regularly to the court,” Hanlin said. “He’s subject to being searched, to being questioned, to having his device searched and questioned.”
Hanlin also said the judge could send Montgomery back to jail if he posts anything harmful about the women or witnesses involved in the case.
Mingo Junction Council President Adam Peeler said the council voted to have Montgomery return to work after the original allegations against him were found to be unfounded. Peeler also criticized the mayor’s decision to stop Montgomery’s pay during the process.
“Throughout the process the mayor had stopped his pay so you know we’re trying to express or show that you know she didn’t have the authority to do that that he should have been left alone,” Peeler said. “You know that says the contract reads you know you should be placed on paper ministry Investigation.”
Ruckman said she considers Montgomery terminated and said her decision is final, criticizing council members who supported keeping him employed.
“This is final,” Ruckman said. “If Mr. Adam Piller, Councilman Adam Pillar, can sit in there and justify what he heard in my chambers for a council meeting and state that that gentleman still should be employed, shame on him. Shame on the other councilwoman, Jody Lynn Fitzgerald, who claimed that he should be still employed and be unpaid. Shame on Jack Britell for he should still be employed and paid. Shame on former councilman Pat Cramlin who said he should always be employed to be paid. Shame on them.”
Peeler said Montgomery and his attorney are still pursuing the dispute over his employment and pay.
As of Friday, the court case was closed.
