VALLEY MILLS, Texas (KXXV) — Valley Mills leaders met to discuss the future of two officers arrested last month.
- City council members terminate Matthew Cantrell and Solomon Omotoya
- Last month, Cantrell and Omotoya were arrested on charges of abuse of official capacity.
- Attorneys for officers attended the meeting.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
"That we terminate the employment of Matthew Cantrell and Solomon Omotoya for lack of confidence," a council member said.
Last month, Cantrell and Omotoya were arrested for abuse of official capacity.
Brittany Lannen, an attorney representing Solomon Omotoya, said there is a lot of confusion and lack of accountability in this case.
"It is our understanding that the mayor authorized the use of the gas cards at some point in time to allow gasers to make the longer trips back and forth from where they resided. There is a lot of misunderstanding about what has been directed as far as actions of the officers allowed authorized by the government here," Lannen said.
Robert Callahan, the attorney, represents former police chief Matthew Cantrell.
"I don't know that my client received the notice he was required to have before this decision could be made. So that's something that we will be exploring," said Callahan.
Both Callahan and Lannen have questions about their clients' jobs and the city of Valley Mills.
"Because I refuse to believe that as the arrest warrant alleges, all of this is over $37.13 worth of gas usage over four months," Callahan said.
Lannen said her clients worked overtime -- and haven't gotten overtime pay since December.
"The total for Omotoya is over $300 plus, and that needs to be paid back to him. Are you planning on doing that?" Lannen said.
City council members refused an interview, but Callahan and Lannen said Valley Mills has a history.
"The community understands and remembers that Valley Mills has a long history of problems related to the city leaders and government therein," said Callahan.
"Unfortunately, there have been several instances where I have attempted to provide information to the city council authority for different things and they have repeatedly ignored that information and that law and have found themselves in trouble," Lannen said.
