Investigator claims harassment, retaliation in suing medical board

A Las Vegas investigator with the state Board of Medical Examiners was sexually harassed by her boss and retaliated against by co-workers after complaining to her superiors, according to a federal lawsuit.

The lawsuit, filed last week in

U.S. District Court in Las Vegas by investigator Lara Ward, alleges that the sexual harassment was part of a pattern of unprofessional conduct by officials in the state office that investigates complaints against licensed medical practitioners.

The lawsuit alleges that Don Andreas, deputy chief of investigations for the board’s Las Vegas office, sexually harassed Ward in March 2016 after she obtained information from a local law enforcement source in connection with a case, asking if she had performed a sex act in return.

He repeated the comment several weeks later when Ward obtained a second piece of information, and he “began to engage in and encourage and support a pattern of retaliation, disparagement and disparate treatment” after she objected to his comments, according to the lawsuit. After enduring the hostile workplace

HARASSED

after the verdict was read.

“Yes,” she replied.

Prosecutor Stacey Kollins asked that Honea be remanded to custody, but Delaney denied the motion.

“The defendant has been out of custody,” she said. “I have no reason to believe that he will not return at the time of sentencing.”

The judge asked that Honea check in with the court periodically before his sentencing on April 16. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Before his arrest, Honea was in a police program that encourages a career in law enforcement and teaches young Las Vegans the basics of policing. He also volunteered with the Metropolitan Police Department’s Enterprise Area Command.

Honea’s attorneys said he met the underage girl when she was in middle school, and from there they developed a “brother and sister” relationship that fell apart after the aspiring police officer tried to intervene in her use of drugs and alcohol.

Macarthur told jurors that Honea was targeted as a whistleblower at Metro after he reported police misconduct. Subsequently, his colleagues reopened an investigation into rumors that Honea had an inappropriate relationship with the girl, he said.

The attorney went on to tell jurors that Honea and the girl had a close relationship and had talked about wanting to date when she turned

16.

Macarthur said police told the girl that Honea could get her mother in trouble with Child Protective Services, which is why she came back and reported the alleged relationship. She also was angry with Honea for betraying her trust, the defense attorney said, and sent Honea pictures of her burning photos of the pair.

Over three weeks, prosecutors presented their case: the girl’s detailed story to detectives, including identifying the mole on his genitals and the sex they had in the back seat of his car. Prosecutors also displayed pictures that showed Honea and the girl kissing and a photo album that chronicled the relationship.

The young woman testified during the trial that she made up the elaborate story because she wanted to get Honea in trouble and “the more details, the better.”

Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.