Spada is released with conditions

By Terry Murry on Friday, March 25th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories

WALLA WALLA – A firefighter and paramedic with the Walla Walla Fire Department arrested Wednesday on allegations of child molestation made his first court appearance Thursday in Walla Walla County Superior Court. He was released on his own recognizance with conditions, according to Walla Walla County Prosecuting Attorney Jim Nagle. He did not specify what those conditions are.

Anthony Joel Spada, 46, faces felony charges of first-and second-degree child molestation. He is also charged with communicating with a minor child for immoral purposes, which is a gross misdemeanor. He was arrested by the Walla Walla County Sheriff’s Office which received a request from the Walla Walla Police Department to take a report from Child Protective Services on allegations of child abuse.

“The request came because they did not want to have a conflict of interest as the alleged suspect was also a city employee,” Undersheriff Joe Klundt stated Thursday in a news release.

According to court documents, a 14-year-old female known to Spada reported to her counselor last month that the suspect had been touching her sexually and making her watch pornographic videos with him since she was 10.

Spada has been employed by WWFD since 2003.