Darlington County sheriff, chief deputy, warden named in federal lawsuit

The Darlington County sheriff, his chief deputy and the county’s jail director have been named as defendants in a federal complaint that alleges the jail director sexually harassed one of his employees.

According to the complaint filed Dec. 19 in federal court in Florence, Roberta O’Steen was employed as the Darlington County Detention Center nurse when the alleged harassment occurred.

In the summer of 2007, O’Steen said in the complaint, her immediate supervisor, detention center director Dennis Carter, sexually harassed her by using offensive sexual language and ordering her to perform massages.

O’Steen alleges in the complaint Carter offered her money to see her breasts and offered her money to spend the night with him.

The complaint states that O’Steen complained about the incidents to the county’s human resources office, county administrator Phyllis Griffitts and Darlington County Sheriff Glenn Campbell, to no avail.

After she complained about the sexual harassment, O’Steen said in the complaint, Carter stopped communicating with O’Steen about work-related issues and created a hostile working environment that ultimately forced to end her employment at the jail.

After O’Steen complained to Darlington Chief Deputy Sheriff Tom Gainey on Oct. 4, 2007, he reprimanded her for not reporting the harassment sooner and told her she would be written up for the delay. Gainey also accused her of liking the attention from her supervisor, according to the federal document.

The federal complaint alleges O’Steen suffered irreparable injury and monetary damages as a result.

O’Steen is requesting compensatory and punitive damages along with court costs and attorney fees associated with the court proceedings.

She is being represented by Florence attorney Pheobe A. Clark of the Wukela Law Firm, who couldn’t be reach for comment by press time Friday.

Darlington County Attorney James Cox also couldn’t be reached for comment by press time Friday.

It is unclear if each of the defendants have personal legal counsel, as they being sued in their individual and official capacities.

Campbell, Gainey and Carter each have 20 days to respond to the allegations.

U.S. District Court Judge Terry L. Wooten is expected to preside over the case.