Former Sparks Fire Chief Seeks To Be Reinstated Despite Felony Drug Case

NEVADA – Mark Lawson, the former Sparks fire chief who resigned after a felony drug prosecution was filed against him, sought his job back on Wednesday.

In a letter to Sparks city officials obtained by News 4-Fox 11, Lawson’s attorneys requested that he be reinstated and placed on paid administrative leave until the result of the criminal investigation.

Attorneys have vowed to initiate a civil case in the Second Judicial District Court if he is not reinstated.

Hutchinson & Steffen’s lawyers claimed that Lawson was ‘condemned, terminated, and tried in public’ before criminal charges were made.

“His name had been slandered before he had a chance to defend himself. This outcome is fundamentally unfair, “They penned.

According to Lawson’s legal counsel, the city violated his contract by unfairly firing him, defaming him, and harming his character.

Lawson’s counsel stated in the letter that he “maintains his innocence and is sure that the criminal complaint will be dropped.”

Lawson is currently facing four felony drug charges involving steroids, including two counts of possessing a schedule I or II controlled substance and possessing a schedule III, IV, or V controlled substance with intent to sell.

After less than a week on the job, city manager Neil Krutz urged Lawson to resign because he was facing significant criminal accusations.

Lawson joined Sparks after more than three decades of employment in the fire service, most recently with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The Sparks City Council had agreed to a contract that would last through June 30, 2024, with a salary of $200,000.

Credits: Fox Reno