An official with the South Connellsville volunteer fire company is speaking out concerning charges that have been filed against four other members of the company, suggesting they may be rooted in local politics.Firefighter Christopher Joseph Parrill Jr. Is charged with failure to comply with sex offender registration, based on a previous case of corruption of the morals of a minor. VIDEO: Watch Bob Mayo's reportFire President Donald Ringer is charged with criminal conspiracy, coercion/threatening an official. Fire Chief Stephen Jeremy Grubbs is charged with obstruction of the administration of law. Volunteer Kenneth Harshman is charged with disorderly conduct, unsworn falsification to authorities and criminal conspiracy.Second Assistant Fire Chief Jim Porterfield held a 5 p.m. news conference Tuesday to address the cases.He maintains that the fire company did a background check concerning the alleged offender, Parrill, and that it came back clean. He also said he knows of nothing to substantiate conspiracy charges filed against others associated with the fire company over their alleged handling of police requests for information about the background checks."I don't know, the borough police think they're going to be able to run the borough, which, I don't know what's going on with that stuff," Porterfield said. "And the borough president, she dictates to them more or less what she wants done and how she wants it done and they're only part time too. "Ringer, Grubbs and Harshman face a preliminary hearing on June 23 before District Judge Ronald Haggarty Jr. The preliminary hearing date for Parrill Jr. is June 2 at 10 a.m. Before District Judge Jennifer Jeffries.Parrill is in the Fayette County Prison, unable to post bail. According to online court docket records, he was arraigned at 4:33 p.m Tuesday.The charges against Ringer, Grubbs, and Harshman are misdemeanors. They were mailed summonses on Monday and were not taken into custody.Get the WTAE Pittsburgh's Action News 4 App