Thomas Clay represents detectives with the sheriff's department who claim they were retaliated against by Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa after allegations were reported.
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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Long-time attorney Thomas Clay represents the whistleblowers in a lawsuit against Nelson County Sheriff Ramon Pineiroa after he allegedly retaliating against the detectives.
Pineiroa was indicted Wednesday with felony charges including abuse of public trust, theft by deception, official misconduct, among other charges. Chief Deputy Brandon Bryan was also indicted and faces similar charges along with forgery.
"There are all kinds of minefields out there in a situation [my clients] have gotten into through no fault of their own," said Clay. "When this happened and they provided information [to Kentucky State Police] that resulted in the indictment of the Nelson County Sheriff and were retaliated against, I thought there ought to be consequences for it."
The whistleblowers are detectives at the sheriff's department, Ian Justice and Will Purdom. They said Bryan allegedly sold seized cars to a friend, and when they told Pineiroa, they were retaliated against in many ways, including cutting their hours. Clay said this made it hard for the detectives to do their jobs and limited their pay.
Justice and Purdom continue to work alongside Pineiroa with both criminal and civil cases pending.
"These individuals go to work everyday," Clay said. "They were apprehensive that they were going to get...
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