Pa. emergency dispatcher suspended over porn charge

Officials suspended Jonathan Plutnicki from his job as a 911 emergency dispatcher Friday after he was charged with possession and dissemination of child porn

September 22, 2010 05:25 AM

By Bill Vidonic
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review

SHALER, Pa. — Public safety agencies are taking action against a volunteer firefighter and 911 dispatcher who is awaiting trial on charges of possessing child pornography.

Jonathan S. Plutnicki, 25, of Shaler was asked to take a leave of absence from Etna Volunteer Fire Department after officials learned of the accusations against him last week, Chief Greg Porter said yesterday.

“We were concerned he wouldn’t be functioning at 100 percent,” Porter said. “It was for his and the department’s safety until his legal issues are resolved.”

Allegheny County officials suspended Plutnicki from his job as a 911 emergency dispatcher Friday, spokeswoman Megan Dardanell said. According to county records, Plutnicki was hired in September 2006 and earned nearly $54,000 in 2009.

Plutnicki could not be reached.

On Aug. 5, state police charged him with one count each of possession and dissemination of child pornography. A state trooper wrote in a criminal complaint that Plutnicki was sharing files containing child pornography on the Gnutella file-sharing program.

On Thursday, Plutnicki waived his right to a hearing on the charges.

The county suspended Plutnicki not just because of the accusations against him, Dardanell said, but also because he failed to report the charges in August. County officials learned of the charges last week.

Sharps Hill fire Chief Rick Hilinski said Plutnicki, the assistant chief for the Shaler department, was suspended Saturday after officials learned of the charges. Plutnicki had been a volunteer there since 1998.

Porter said Plutnicki was a volunteer with the Etna department between six and eight years. He said Plutnicki wouldn’t be disciplined until the outcome of the criminal charges.

Plutnicki also is a volunteer firefighter and volunteer EMT with Parkview VFD, which covers O’Hara, according to Chief Jim Habay. Habay said he wasn’t aware of the charges but assumed Plutnicki would be asked to take a leave of absence.

EMS Management