INGLEWOOD – Inglewood Mayor James Butts isn’t the only man working for the City facing a lawsuit related to sexual harassment. A former security officer is alleging an employee in the Library department sexually harassed him, and the city failed to properly investigate his allegations.
Leonard Williams worked for the Inglewood Main Library as a security officer, and claims his employer retaliated against him by moving him to the 112th Street location, with reduced hours, after he reported sexual harassment by Peter Nguyen.
Williams claims Nguyen would “stroke his hair” after his bi-weekly haircuts, rub his genitalia against his butt, and would ask for oral sex on multiple occasions both verbally and via text messages.
Williams would also find Hershey’s kisses left on his desk by Nguyen. Nguyen is alleged to have made inappropriate comments in front of other staff without a care for who was around him.
According to the complaint, “Mr. Peter approached me at the circulation desk and asked to s**k my d**k in front of my co-worker Ms. Scott and she gave Mr. Peter a cold look and walked away”.
City employees, with knowledge of the situation, state the Nguyen’s boss protected him and didn’t investigate the claims because they “liked” him.
The City never disciplined the employee and he is now believed to have fled the country.
Melanie McDade, a former aide and girlfriend of the mayor, has sued the City alleging they also failed to properly investigate her claims of sexual harassment and retaliation after she ended her nearly decade long relationship with Butts.
The City requires employees to take sexual harassment training classes, which no one seems to adhere to.
The City met in closed session during the Jan. 11 regular city council meeting, with City Attorney Ken Campos noting the absence of Council members Dionne Faulk and Alex Padilla.
All parties are due back in court next month.
You can read the salacious lawsuit by clicking here.