Lawsuit cites Stanislaus sheriff's officer

By TIM MORAN
tmoran@modbee.com

E-Mail

Comments (0)

Text Size:

tool goes here

Stanislaus County is being sued by a former Sheriff's Department legal clerk who alleges she was sexually harassed by her supervisor and then fired when she filed complaints.

The lawsuit was filed by Lydia Lopez and alleges that she was the victim of physical and verbal sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation by then-Sgt. Bill Pooley, now a lieutenant in the department.

The Bee was unable to reach Pooley on Monday, but Sheriff Adam Christianson said the lawsuit is "unfounded and baseless."

"I'm not worried about it," Christianson said. "Lt. Pooley has done nothing wrong."

Stanislaus County Counsel Michael Krausnick said that the county is investigating the allegations and would file a response within 30 days.

"We will sit down with sheriff's office personnel and find out what happened, when and who she complained to, and review all sheriff's office files," Krausnick said. Lopez did not file a claim with the county before filing the lawsuit, he said.

The Lopez lawsuit contends that she was hired by the Sheriff's Department on April 23, 2003, and starting in December 2004, Pooley began a pattern of sexual harassment, discrimination and retaliation, leading to her termination in 2007.

The harassment included Pooley forcing Lopez to grope his crotch area and Pooley arranging the figurines on Lopez's desk in sexual positions while she was away, according to the lawsuit. Pooley also made "offensive, harassing and discriminatory comments and gestures" toward and about Lopez, the lawsuit says.

When she complained about Pooley's behavior, Pooley, the sheriff's office and the county retaliated against her, the lawsuit says.

Lopez filed a complaint with the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing, considered a prerequisite to filing a lawsuit.

Emotional distress left her disabled, but the Sheriff's Department refused to accommodate her and fired her when she filed a disability complaint, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit contends the Sheriff's Department knew that Pooley was unfit to supervise women when they hired him.

Up to 25 other defendants cited

Pooley, the Sheriff's Department and the county are named in the lawsuit, as well as up to 25 unnamed defendants who allegedly had a role in the harassment or retaliation.

The lawsuit asks for the county to pay Lopez for lost wages and benefits with interest, punitive damages and attorney costs. An amount is to be named later in an amended complaint, according to the lawsuit.

Christianson said Monday that he could not comment on the specifics of the lawsuit, but added that anyone can file a lawsuit. "We have nothing to hide," Christianson said.

Bee staff writer Tim Moran can be reached at tmoran@modbee.com or 578-2349.