NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Five Nashville firefighters are on leave after an investigation was launched into their alleged lewd contact with women in the firehouse.
Capt. James Overton, engineer Kerry Sales, firefighters Darrin Bell and Quincy Corbitt from Station 24 and firefighter Jason Copeland, 32, from Station 11 were placed on paid administrative leave after officials learned about the incident, according to WSMV.
Firefighter Copeland reportedly took three females to Station 24 on Aug. 21 where they stripped and performed sex acts.
The incident surfaced after one of the woman said she may have been drugged after visiting Firefighter Copeland’s home.
She told police that she and two friends had been to Station 24 while Copeland was present to strip and perform sex acts for money.
In an interview with police, Firefighter Copeland told detectives that he was being extorted by one of the woman’s friends who had a gang affiliation.
Ray Dontrell Johnson threatened Firefighter Copeland and told him to leave $500 at a local Pizza Hut where police set-up a sting and arrested Johnson and a friend.
During his interview, Firefighter Copeland told police about the other firefighters involved, launching the probe into the incident.
WSMV reports that the 23-year-old woman has given inconsistent statements regarding what took place at Firefighter Copeland’s home. She is undergoing a drug test to verify if she was indeed drugged. Initial investigations indicate that sexual activity likely did not take place at his home.
The entire crew at Station 24 has been suspended to complete the investigation even though they were not part of the incident.