Father of Prospective Recruit Issues Statement on UFD Porn Controversy

The father of the prospective recruit who was the center of the controversy involving interim Utica Fire Chief John Kelly is speaking out.

Deputy Chief Mark Ambrose has issued a statement regarding the incident.

"I was naive for believing the right thing was notifying the people in charge so they would do the right thing." He went on to say, "it appears the new direction will be to divert and attack my family and me, I am informing the public so they are informed and can take whatever action they deem appropriate, whether at the polls or otherwise,'' the statement said.

The prospective recruit shared a series of text messages with his father, Deputy Chief Ambrose, after his father informed him he would not be hired at The Utica Fire Department, Ambrose said.

The text messages document a number of alleged activities between Ambrose's son and Interim Fire Chief John Kelly. Those alleged activities include watching pornography and masturbating on Utica Fire Department property.

Deputy Chief Ambrose tells WIBX he made Mayor Rob Palmieri aware of the text messages after his son presented him with them. An investigation was conducted by Utica Police who determined that nothing criminal took place. The city however, released a statement saying that a punishment was handed down, but due to a Civil Rights law the punishment or reason for said punishment could not be released.

Other than the statement, Palmieri has not commented publicly on the matter.