MONROE — The chair of the Cadiz Town Board has pleaded guilty to charges related to an incident last spring in which he reportedly waived a gun around in the presence of an on-duty utility worker, fired the gun, and prevented the worker from leaving his property.

Kenneth J. Goodman, Jr. pleaded no contest in court Aug. 4 to two counts of disorderly conduct and one count of false imprisonment. Other charges — including pointing a firearm at another, and impersonating a peace officer/use of a dangerous weapon — were dismissed but read in for sentencing.

Goodman received no jail time for his crimes, according to court records. Instead, he was sentenced by Circuit Judge Faun Phillipson to two years of probation and ordered to pay a nearly $1,000 fine.

The March 31 ordeal began just after 9:30 a.m. when deputies were called to respond to reports of gunfire and threats to a utility worker. 

Police on the scene found a worker from Vanguard Utility, who had been contracted to provide a utility location for possible  repair. When she first pulled into the property in a marked truck, Goodman is alleged to have fired a gun, and then when she turned to look, she saw a man holding a silver pistol approaching her.

“(The victim) indicated that the gun was pointed at the vehicle, however the subject moving the gun around in which it was pointed at her from time to time and the vehicle as well,” said authorities, in the complaint.  “(She) thought she was going to be shot due to the actions of the subject.”

At one point, reports say, she tried convince the man to put the gun down on the tailgate of her truck so she could talk to him and “diffuse” the situation but he refused, then threatened to keep her from leaving; and to shoot out her tires if she tried.

Several Green  County deputies responded and eventually took Goodman into custody without incident.

Goodman posted a $2,000 personal recognizance bond and was released a short time after his arrest.