A longtime Limestone County sheriff’s investigator says she was groped, asked to flash her breasts and offered a promotion to captain if she complied with sexual advances from the chief deputy in 2017.

In a federal civil lawsuit filed Monday, Investigator Leslie Ramsey said when she complained to Sheriff Mike Blakely about the alleged assault by Chief Deputy Fred Sloss, discrimination and retaliation followed and she was demoted while some less-qualified men were promoted.

The lawsuit — filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama in Birmingham — names the Limestone County Commission as well as the Limestone County Commission chairman (in this case Collin Daly, who took office November 2018), Blakely and Sloss in their individual and official capacities.

When contacted by The News Courier about the lawsuit Tuesday, Blakely issued the following written statement:

“Sheriff Blakely, Chief Sloss and the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office have always been proactive in their commitment to treating everyone, including our employees, with equal respect and dignity in every way possible. While we are unable to provide a detailed response at this time on advice of counsel, we want to assure the people of Limestone County that our commitment to equality and providing the best workplace environment possible for everyone remains steadfast.”

Redress sought

Ramsey, who was hired by the sheriff in September 2007 and later promoted to investigator, is seeking a jury trial and has asked the court to award her compensatory damages for lost wages, benefits, overtime, off-duty compensation, mental anguish, humiliation and loss of reputation. She is also asking for a judgment of punitive damages against Blakely and Sloss. In addition, she is seeking the following: reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, for the court to retain jurisdiction in the case to ensure compliance with any order issued and any further relief the court deems just under the circumstances.

The defendants, including Blakely, Sloss, Limestone County Commission Chairman and members of the county commission, have 21 days to file their responses to the allegations, according to the lawsuit.

EEOC charge pending

In addition to this lawsuit, Ramsey also has a charge of discrimination pending with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over the same incident. However, the EEOC has not issued her a right-to-sue letter, therefore, she cannot currently assert her discrimination and retaliation claims under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

Ramsey is represented by attorneys Rebekah McKinney, Philip M. DeFatta and Watson McKinney of Watson McKinney law firm in Huntsville.

Deputy Stephen Young, public information officer for the Sheriff’s Office, said he is unsure who is representing Blakely or Sloss, though he said T. Mark Maclin, the county attorney, reviewed the written statement issued Tuesday by Blakely.

The assault claim

The following claims are made in the lawsuit:

Ramsey was working as an investigator under Capt. Stanley McNatt until Oct. 1, 2016, when he retired. On Nov. 3, 2016, the sheriff promoted Sloss from captain to chief deputy, the highest ranking position under the sheriff.

On the evening of Jan. 14, 2017, Ramsey and her boyfriend at the time, Bobby Joe Ruf, decided to visit Sloss at his residence. Ruf knew Sloss from a long-standing personal friendship. Ramsey knew Sloss only through her work at the sheriff’s department. At some point, Ramsey went outside to smoke a cigarette in Sloss’ driveway, and Sloss followed her outside. While Ramsey and Sloss were alone in his driveway, Sloss swiped his hand several times between Ramsey’s legs, across her chest and crotch and along the outside of her clothes.

After Ramsey attempted to push Sloss away, he pushed her against a vehicle in the driveway, put his lips close to hers and asked, “Does (Ruf) ever tell you how beautiful you are?”

After Ramsey tried to push Sloss away a second time, Sloss pushed her against the car again and told her, “I’ll make you captain,” if she consented to his sexual advances, which she refused.

Sloss then told Ramsey, “Show me your tit(s). (My wife) would do it.”

Ramsey left Sloss’ residence with Ruf and told Ruf about the incident during their car ride home.

Discrimination, retaliation claims

After the assault, Sloss put Ramsey under increased scrutiny, including but not limited to having her followed after she left Blakely’s May 19 and 20, 2017, fundraising rodeo, according to the lawsuit.

Sloss did not put other male officers under surveillance regarding their involvement in the rodeo. On May 22, 2017, Blakely called Ramsey into his office, along with Sloss, to reprimand her regarding her involvement with the rodeo. According to the lawsuit, Ramsey said Blakely did the following during this meeting:

• Called her a “bad apple”;

• Told her she needed to see a psychiatrist;

• Told her the sheriff could “do any (expletive deleted) thing (he) wanted”;

• Threatened to demote her; and

• Threatened to terminate her employment.

Later in the day, on May 22, 2017, Ramsey’s father, Jim Ramsey, called Blakely and reported Sloss’ Jan. 14, 2017, assault, including that Ruf was present at Sloss’ residence that night.

On May 24, 2017, Blakely called Ruf to the sheriff’s department to discuss Ramsey’s sexual assault.

After Blakely’s meeting with Ruf, Ruf told Ramsey he and Blakely discussed for at least 40 minutes the Jan. 14, 2017, incident at Sloss’ residence. The lawsuit alleges Blakely refused to speak with Ramsey after learning about the sexual assault, and he did not discipline Sloss.

On or about Jan. 27, 2017, Blakely promoted a male officer, Lance Royals, to captain, who then became Ramsey’s direct supervisor.

On or about May 24, 2017, Ramsey submitted a grievance to Blakely concerning the sexual assault and the “rodeo reprimand.”

On May 25, 2017, Royals responded to her grievance in writing, stating, in pertinent part, that after speaking with Blakely and Sloss, Blakely was entitled to threaten her with termination and revocation of her vehicle privileges was justified.

On May 26, 2017, Blakely demoted Ramsey from investigator to patrol duty. Blakely further ordered her to vacate her office and assigned her to second-shift patrol for approximately one week.

On or about June 2, 2017, Capt. Guy Simmons told Ramsey she was being further demoted to third-shift patrol. He also gave her a letter of reprimand, dated May 30, for allegedly losing her sheriff’s department-issued cellphone and for insubordination, which Ramsey disputed.

Blakely promoted Chris Frazier — who was a third-shift male patrol officer with one year of experience — to first-shift patrol officer and simultaneously demoted Ramsey to third-shift patrol.

Claims of targeting

The lawsuit claims Blakely did not reprimand other male investigators and patrol deputies for similar conduct alleged against Ramsey, including but not limited to where they lost firearms, cellphones and seized property.

On June 6, 2017, Ramsey filed a grievance and reinstatement request with the Limestone County Commission regarding the sexual assault, her demotion and other harassing and retaliatory conduct experienced during her employment with the sheriff’s department.

On or about June 20, 2017, after Ramsey arrested a suspect for possession of a controlled substance, the sheriff arbitrarily issued Ramsey a letter of reprimand for allegedly violating the proper procedure to sign the suspect’s arrest warrant, which Ramsey disputed.

Due to the ongoing harassment and retaliation relating to Ramsey and her grievances with the sheriff’s department, she requested leave on or about June 26, 2017. She was required to use her accrued paid leave, then she was on unpaid leave for approximately three pay periods.

On Aug. 7, 2017, the County Commission held a hearing regarding Ramsey’s June 6, 2017, grievance. However, the commission has never issued her a ruling. Ramsey did receive back pay on Sept. 14, 2017, then placed back on paid leave.

As of Sept. 12, 2017, no proper law-enforcement investigation was undertaken regarding Ramsey’s report of sexual assault. She filed a charge of discrimination with the EEOC Nov. 7, 2017, and was reinstated to her investigator position Feb. 29, 2018.

Unequal promotions claim

In the lawsuit, Ramsey lists the following examples of how other male colleagues were promoted while she was not:

In or about January 2017, Blakely promoted male officer Jay Stinnett to assistant chief investigator. On or about Jan. 27, 2017, Blakely promoted male officer Johnny Morrell to lieutenant of operations.

Ramsey claims she was qualified but passed over for the positions of chief deputy, captain, assistant chief investigator, lieutenant of operations, and patrol lieutenant positions filled by equally or less-qualified male officers.

Ramsey said she had more education, training and experience as an investigator compared to the male officers promoted to chief deputy, captain, assistant chief investigator and lieutenant of operations positions.

Unequal discipline alleged

In the lawsuit, Ramsey also listed the following incidents in which Blakely did not discipline other officers:

On or about Oct. 2, 2011, a male investigator, Randy Burroughs, was arrested for assault and was never disciplined by the sheriff’s department.

Between Jan. 3 and May 1, 2012, a male investigator, Jonathan Hinton, lost a pistol seized from a suicide case, but he was never disciplined by the sheriff’s department. Rather than discipline Hinton for losing the pistol, Blakely ordered a new pistol be purchased and given to the victim’s father on or about Aug. 22, 2014. After losing the pistol, Hinton was never reprimanded and was promoted to patrol lieutenant.

On or about June 25, 2015, Hinton, as a patrol lieutenant, performed an unauthorized “PIT” maneuver in the city limits of Huntsville. When the unarmed suspect fled on foot, Hinton shot at the suspect but was not reprimanded for this incident.

On or about Nov. 25, 2016, a Special Response Team van was stolen after Sloss left the keys inside the vehicle. The vehicle was recovered two weeks later in Tennessee, but Sloss was never disciplined for this incident.

On or about Feb. 18, 2015, officers from the sheriff’s department found a murdered woman, a case that remains unsolved. In December 2016, Ramsey learned the victim’s cellphone was lost. No one was reprimanded for this incident.

Blakely has received complaints regarding a male investigator observed to be intoxicated on duty; however, the investigator has never been disciplined or investigated.

Sex discrimination claim

In the lawsuit, Ramsey itemized the following ways the defendants in the lawsuit violated her right to equal protection under the law, which is guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, including:

• Demoting her after she reported a sexual assault from her superior;

• Arbitrarily reprimanding and disciplining her for reporting a sexual assault from her superior and disagreeing with subsequent reprimands;

• Failing to promote her and promoting less-qualified male officers to open chief deputy, captain, assistant chief investigator, lieutenant of operations and patrol lieutenant positions;

• Failing to properly investigate Sloss’ misconduct;

• Failing to appropriately discipline Sloss for his misconduct;

• Treating similarly situated male officers more favorably as to the conditions of their employment with the sheriff’s department;

• More severely disciplining her compared to male officers charged with similar or more egregious allegations of misconduct;

• Subjecting her to threats, verbal abuse and ridicule by male officers; and

• Manifesting deliberate indifference to her sexual assault and the ongoing harassment of her by her superiors at the sheriff’s department.