Former deputy files lawsuit against Yolo County over firing
SACRAMENTO — A former Yolo County sheriff ’s sergeant who claims he was fired for refusing to cover up sexual harassment and discrimination sued in federal court Friday, alleging his supervisor threatened to shoot him and drove a county vehicle while intoxicated, while another deputy allegedly had sex in a patrol car while on duty.
The explosive allegations are contained in a federal employment retaliation and discrimination lawsuit filed on behalf of Dean Nyland, a 14-year veteran of the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office who says in the lawsuit that he was fired Sept. 3.
“He was terminated in retaliation for opposing sexual harassment and discrimination in the Sheriff ’s Office and exposing efforts made by Captain Hernan
Oviedo to cover up the harassment and discrimination,” according to the lawsuit, which was filed by Sacramento attorney Jill Telfer. “In addition, defendants terminated Nyland because of his age, replacing him with a younger, less qualified employee.”
Yolo County Sheriff Tom Lopez and Oviedo did not immediately respond to separate messages seeking comment Friday. County spokeswoman Jenny Tan referred inquiries to the Sheriff’s Office.
The lawsuit, which names the county, the Sheriff ’s Office and 20 “Doe” defendants, portrays an almost out-of-control atmosphere inside the office, which in 2014 was the subject of a grand jury report that referred to its leadership under then-Sheriff Ed Prieto as being from the “wild, Wild West.”
Nyland’s problems with
Oviedo began in 2015 while he was in his fifth year as a detective, the lawsuit says.
“Nyland developed serious concerns about Oviedo because Oviedo admitted to driving his county vehicle while intoxicated, he made inappropriate comments regarding female employees and told Deputies about confidential conversations between Oviedo and former Sheriff Prieto,” the lawsuit says. “Nyland informed Oviedo he felt this conduct was inappropriate and asked him to stop.”
“Oviedo responded by threatening to shoot Nyland in the head because he answered questions from Sheriff Prieto regarding a murder investigation,” the lawsuit alleges. “Oviedo told plaintiff to never discuss the case with Sheriff Prieto because Oviedo believed Prieto was furnishing Public Defender Tracie Olson information about the case due to the two being romantically involved.”
Prieto, who served five terms as sheriff before leaving the office more than a year ago, denied Friday he had such a relationship with Olson.