Former deputies face theft charges

LANCASTER - Two former Fairfield County Sheriff's Office deputies face petty theft charges after being accused of shoplifting from the Reynoldsburg Walmart after working special duty details there last year.

Ed Curry faces one count, and his wife, Angela Fleming-Curry, faces two counts. Both will appear in the Reynoldsburg mayor's court on Feb. 25. All of the charges are misdemeanors.

Ed Curry is accused of shoplifting Dec. 12. His wife is accused of the same crime Oct. 18 and Dec. 13.

A Reynoldsburg police report lists 10 boxes of sports trading cards valued at $199.80 as the items Ed Curry is accused of stealing. The report said he denied stealing the items and that he said he paid for them

Another Reynoldsburg police report said Fleming-Curry took items worth about $40 in October and $26.80 in December.

Attorney Jason Price said in an email he expects Angela Fleming-Curry's case to be resolved at the Feb. 25 court date. Price said Ed Curry intends to fight the allegations against him.

Sheriff Dave Phalen asked Angela Fleming-Curry to resign and fired Ed Curry. He said both were in uniform when they were alleged to have committed the crimes.

"I believe that there are no doubts you left the Walmart store in the early morning hours of Dec. 12, 2015, with merchandise you did not pay for," Phalen wrote in Ed Curry's termination letter.

Chief Deputy Jerry Perrigo wrote a letter to Phalen and recommended he fire Ed Curry. Perrigo said Ed Curry has letters of commendation in file since his 1999 hiring, along with a recent five-day suspension for failing to do jail security checks.

Ed Curry received a good review in 2014 while working at the county jail annex at Southeastern Correctional Complex. His review said that while he did receive a citizen complaint for conducting a traffic stop out of his jurisdiction in Waverly, he was considered a good employee.

Sgt. Carl Lape was Angela Fleming-Curry's supervisor for her 2014 performance review. She had been a deputy since 2004.

Lape wrote he had concerns about her use of sick time, saying she used 89.5 hours of sick time, not including light duty in 2014. He said there were three incidents in which some sick time hours were used next to off days. Lape said he had driven by Fleming-Curry's house and would conduct a home visit the next time.

"I also have concerns when it comes to her level of motivation," Lape wrote. "I.e., I feel she's here to collect a paycheck, no more, no less."

Lape said Angela Fleming-Curry received kudos from other supervisors who had seen her work.

jbarron@lancastereaglegazette.com

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Twitter: @JeffDBarron