Fired city worker indicted

Gross sexual imposition charge involves alleged incident in city office

A former Lorain city worker is charged with gross sexual imposition for allegedly having sexual contact with a co-worker in a city office last year, according to city and court records.

Hector Medina, 47, of Avon, was a sewer crew leader who began working for the city in 1989. The Lorain County grand jury returned the indictment against him on March 1, and he was arrested March 2 before being released on $50,000 bond, according to court records.

Through his attorney, Medina has asked for documents related to the charge in Lorain County Common Pleas Court. His attorney, Brent L. English of Cleveland, was not available for comment on the case.

Medina was fired Feb. 1 once city officials investigated his conduct from Dec. 11, 2017, according to city records. Medina has contested the disciplinary action by the city, according to records from his personnel file.

The city does not want any sexual harassment in the workplace and no employee should be subjected to it, said Mayor Chase Ritenauer.

“We take very seriously allegations of impropriety, particularly sexual harassment,” Ritenauer said.

The city administration needed to take action quickly to address the situation and the administration did, he said.

On Dec. 11, Medina and a female co-worker were at the Lorain Utilities Department’s sewer division offices at the Philip Q. Maiorana Wastewater Treatment Plant, 6301 W. Erie Ave., according to the investigative file included with Medina’s city personnel file.

The two spent several hours working on computerized records there, according to city records.

When the worker attempted to leave, Medina allegedly grabbed her buttocks and pulled her on top of him as he was seated in a chair, according to city records. The worker resisted and punched Medina in the chest to get up. Medina allegedly hid the keys to a city vehicle she was using.

When Medina showed her the keys, the worker attempted to take them, but then he pushed her against a wall and began trying to kiss and grope her, according to city records.

Lorain Safety-Service Director Dan Given and the Lorain Police Department learned of the incident and began investigating, according to city records. As of Jan. 4, Given ordered the Utilities Department administrators to ensure there would be no contact between the two.

On Dec. 28, Lorain police monitored a second meeting with Medina and the worker.

Speaking to police, Medina denied making some statements that were recorded during the second meeting. He said he gave the worker a hug of appreciation but denied that anything else happened.

In interviews with Given and city Human Resources Director Lisa Zamiska, Medina denied that the actions took place, according to city records.

On Feb. 1, Given sent a letter to Medina stating

his “actions are considered gross misconduct” in violation of city policy to create a respectful workplace and prohibit sexual harassment. Medina was terminated from his post effective immediately, Given said.

Medina and the United Steel Workers Local 6621, which represents Lorain’s municipal workers, filed a grievance claiming Medina was excessively charged and disciplined. The grievance asked to return Medina to active employment and pay back wages for lost time.

However, the firing was upheld by Lorain Deputy Safety-Service Director Phil Dore, who is chief of staff to Ritenauer.

Medina had three prior disciplinary actions for his work for the city. He was given written reprimands in June 2015 for smoking in a city vehicle and in March 2013 for aggressive driving in a city truck. In March 1995, Medina was suspended for a month without pay for being under the influence of alcohol while on the job, according to records in his personnel file.