Members of an Upstate sheriff's office have been named as defendants in a lawsuit filed by an employee. Laurens County, its Sheriff Don Reynolds, a former deputy and two current deputies are all named in the suit.
Brittany Cash, who's still employed by the Laurens County Sheriff's Office has been publicly named as the plaintiff. The suit claims Cash was sexually harassed, after undergoing an invasive strip search as part of her training.
At the center of the suit, is now former Detention Center Supervisor Phillip Tollison. He was criminally charged and pleaded guilty last year, to five counts of voyeurism and six counts of misconduct in office. The suit claims Tollison secretly video taped female staff while they were getting undressed.
The State Newspaper reports, that Cash claims her civil rights were violated by the Sheriff's Office. The suit does not allege any improper actions by Sheriff Reynolds or the other two current deputies named as defendants. However, it does claim the Sheriff's Office did not protect employees from a hostile work environment.
The suit also points out that Tollison received a light sentence on the criminal charges. He was sentenced to just four months and was credited with time served prior to getting out on bond. Tollison was required to register as a sex offender after pleading guilty. He had been a Laurens County Deputy since 2012, prior to his reisgnation during the investigation.
