Original Article Firefighter accused of lewd phone calls Lindsey Collom The Arizona Republic Feb. 28, 2006 12:00 AM A Phoenix firefighter is under scrutiny after police said he used a union-issued cellphone to make anonymous lewd calls to women he knew. Phoenix Fire officials will decide today whether Phillip Michael Preston, 30, should remain on duty or be placed on administrative leave during an internal investigation. Chandler police arrested Preston on suspicion of intimidating, threatening or harassing by phone Thursday. Preston, a Phoenix firefighter for more than five years, was cited for the misdemeanor charge and released. Chandler police began investigating Preston in November, when a co-worker's wife filed a report out of fear she was being stalked, police records show. The woman said she received more than five calls over two nights from a man who made obscene comments or breathed heavily. Chandler police said they tracked the calls to Preston's union cellphone, which was issued to him as a trustee of the United Phoenix Fire Fighters Association in early 2005. A union representative could not be reached for comment Monday night. Further review of his cellphone records led investigators to five other women who said they received similar phone calls in the early morning hours. Four of the victims knew Preston, one didn't. Police records show Preston denied any wrongdoing and explained he couldn't have made the calls because his cellphone is turned off at night.