A former deputy in Lincoln County, Missouri, has filed a lawsuit against the sheriff, Mike Krigbaum, alleging that he sexually harassed her in June. According to various sources, the unnamed victim said that the man caressed a certain part of her body at a training conference at the Lake of the Ozarks. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch published details about the city official's conduct and said that on one occasion, he didn't let her leave the room. He also purportedly sent her inappropriate text messages.
Although the woman has yet to file a lawsuit, online news outlets have reported that she plans to do so. A harassment complaint has been submitted to the Missouri Department of Labor Industrial Relations Commission on Human Rights. The document revealed the former employee said Krigbaum's behavior was "so severe and pervasive" that it made it become intolerable to work there any longer.
“My client has one statement only to make within context of this, which is there has been no criminal behavior conducted by him and no unwelcome or inappropriate acts which have been conducted by him,” Krigbaum's attorney declared in a statement.
His lawyer also said that this isn't the first time that the woman has made harassment allegations against state employees.
"He's had 30-plus years of unblemished service in law enforcement," the attorney added, "and fully anticipates this is something he'll have to address and deal with in court."
Sources were not able to reach the woman for comment.
If you have experienced harassment at work, you may benefit from a consultation with Kansas City attorneys. These experienced and locally based professionals can assess your claim, try your case in court and help you recover damages that you may be entitled to.