Jailed deputy resigns, but few details available

A Clark County Sheriff’s deputy resigned his job Monday, the same day he was arrested on unspecified charges and jailed in Greene County.

Information from the Greene County Jail shows Marcus C. Johnson IV, 26, was arrested around 4:30 p.m. Monday at the Clark County Jail, 120 N. Fountain Ave. in downtown Springfield.

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However, it was not clear Tuesday what charge he faces. Jail records from Greene County show he is being held for another agency, and the court is listed as Clark County Common Pleas Court.

Clark County Chief Deputy Jeffrey Meyer declined to comment on Tuesday, noting it is against the deputy’s union contract to comment on internal affairs investigations. Meyer did confirm Johnson resigned from the sheriff’s office Monday afternoon.

Johnson was identified as a new deputy undergoing training Jan. 23, 2018, in a photo accompanying a story published Jan. 31 in the Springfield News-Sun.

Staff at the Greene County Sheriff’s Office referred comment on Monday to a senior leader not due back to work until Wednesday.

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Johnson would be the second area deputy to face jail time in recent weeks. Franco Rodio Villella, 22, was indicted in December on two third-degree felony sexual battery charges, with a contempt of court charge.

Villella is a former Montgomery County corrections officer who faces charges of sexual battery for allegedly assaulting a woman who was a jail inmate. He was arrested in Montgomery County in December.

Authorities previously told this organization regional dispatch received a call about an inmate being assaulted at the jail and the investigation led to the inmate and Villella, who told investigators the encounter was consensual. Because Villella is familiar with jail operations in Montgomery County, he is housed in Logan County, authorities said.

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At least 13 federal civil lawsuits have been filed against Montgomery County over jail operations, including one that was dismissed and another in which a jury ruled in favor of the county.

Former Montgomery County Sheriff Phil Plummer has said that lawsuits happen with an old jail, a staff that is too small for operations and judges who control a jail population whose staying longer.

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