CHP investigates Cal Fire prostitution scandal

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A possible scandal involving prostitution. That's why the CHP is investigating the Ione Fire Academy at Cal Fire's request.

Former Batallion Chief Orville Fleming is accused of murdering a Sacramento woman who was his escort turned fianc.

Our sister station KXTV in Sacramento got an exclusive interview with Fleming's estranged wife. She's a resident of Clovis and says an internal Cal Fire investigation has been a long time coming.

55-year-old Orville Fleming hid from police for more than two weeks after allegedly strangling and stabbing 26-year-old Sarah Douglas. He was jailed a week and a-half ago and Fleming's estranged wife Meagan Fleming says he's called her from jail.

"I said that was a... isolated weird incident and you know... we know that. You know what I mean? And I told him that we would speak to him," said Meagan Fleming.

Now that he's in jail a new investigation is unfolding. This time in the confines of his old workplace. During the manhunt for Orville Fleming, Meagan Fleming made claims firefighters including her estranged husband made sex tapes at the Ione Fire Academy with prostitutes.

"Clean up issues so that other families children or whatever don't end up suffering like us," said Meagan Fleming.

Daniel Berlant of Cal Fire tells Action News they've asked CHP to conduct an internal investigation.

"Nothing was handed over to us that would validate the serious claims that were made but because the claims do have illegal nature to them we want to make sure that we were investigating to see if there really was anything going on at our academy," said Berlant.

He says they didn't immediately investigate the accusations because they didn't want to interfere with the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office's investigation.

"The last thing I want to do is speak to people and hurt people cause drama and damage that I will... but I will speak the truth," said Meagan Fleming.

Berlant says the Ione Fire Academy is the only Cal Fire station under investigation. It's unclear how long the CHP investigation will take. Berlant says at this time they don't have anything hard evidence that substantiates the claims.