By Mark Schlueb
The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. — A top-ranking Orlando Fire Department official who was implicated in a cheating scandal has asked prosecutors to widen their investigation at City Hall.

Until now, Rudolph Johnson has repeatedly denied cheating on a promotional exam five years ago, even after an investigation concluded otherwise and he was demoted from deputy chief to assistant chief. He has filed a federal discrimination complaint accusing the Fire Department and union leaders of conspiring against him because he is black.

Now Johnson, who says he was told to say no when asked whether he eavesdropped on a test-taker, wants to clear his name by jump-starting a continuing investigation by the Orange-Osceola State Attorney's Office.

"I have documented evidence of state laws and statutes being maliciously violated by city officials, Fire Department administrators and union officials," Johnson says in a letter sent Friday to the State Attorney's Office.

Johnson and District Chief Brian Will were demoted last year after an investigation found that in 2002 they had used a department radio to secretly listen while a colleague took a "live fire" test that they would be taking the next day.

First disclosed in the Orlando Sentinel, the allegation came to light last summer when City Hall officials received an anonymous complaint, including an audio recording of the exercise in which Johnson and Will can be heard commenting on their competitor's performance.

Two weeks ago, city administrators agreed to promote two other firefighters who were passed over for the promotions that instead went to Johnson and Will.

Johnson did not return the Sentinel's phone calls and e-mails seeking comment. But in an interview with WOFL-Fox 35 News, Johnson accused the city of a cover-up, saying Fire Chief Jim Reynolds told him to "keep quiet" during the department's own investigation of the incident.

Johnson told the city's investigator that he never listened while his competitor was tested, which he now admits is untrue.

"I said no because I was directed to say no," he said.

But he said he gained no advantage because the testing scenario was well-known among Orlando firefighters.

Heather Allebaugh, a spokeswoman for Mayor Buddy Dyer, said the city's investigation was transparent and met the highest ethical standards.

"It appears a recently disciplined firefighter has chosen to raise vague accusations in the media rather than filing an official complaint with the city," she said. "Further, this firefighter had numerous opportunities to report any alleged acts of misconduct and chose not to do so."

Steve Clelland, president of the firefighters' labor union that Johnson accused of being out to get him, said Johnson has "a credibility problem."

"For six months, he's maintained his innocence. Now he says he did it, but it wasn't his fault," Clelland said. "Was he lying then, or is he lying now?"

Randy Means, director of investigations for State Attorney Lawson Lamar, said his office's inquiry is continuing.

"We're reviewing the case, and we're interviewing people, but that's all I can tell you," Means said.