Former Mercer airport boss says accusers want ‘payday’
Former Mercer County airport boss Stanley Patterson is blaming the county for ruining his life after three women who worked under him accused him in lawsuits of trying to pressure them into having threesomes and singing sexually suggestive rap lyrics on the job.
After months of silence, Patterson told The Trentonian in an exclusive interview he lost his job, his woman and the sweet pad he shared with county personnel director and apparent jilted ex-girlfriend Raissa Walker after “he-saidshe-said” sex claims ruined his reputation, on account of women who want a “payday.”
“You ever heard of this thing called jealousy,” said Patterson, a self-proclaimed devout father and grandfather who enjoys golfing.
After losing his $83,000-ayear job as a confidential aide, he now lists himself on Facebook as self-employed and says he is a “sacrificial lamb” for the county to claim that it takes seriously sexual misconduct in the workplace during the #MeToo movement, as women share stories about being sexually harassed and assaulted by high-profile men in entertainment, media and politics.
“I’m not this monster,” Patterson said. “I don’t like kinky sex. I’m not this sex fiend.”
The attorney who represents the women suing the county over Patteron’s alleged misdeeds, Kevin Costello, declined to comment.
Over roughly 30 minutes on the phone, Patterson bounced from topic to topic, sometimes launching into incoherent tirades against the county, The Trentonian and a reporter.
He acted like he had set up a sting, telling the reporter he was recording their conversation while his lawyer listened on another line.
Not allowing The Trentonian to get through its questions, Patterson promised to go after his accusers and the newspaper. He accused a reporter of sounding “like a kid” and writing stories about him so he can get promoted to “chief editor.”
He also claimed the reporter was a “Trump supporter” and a “racist,” before hanging up the phone.
“The newspaper is going to write whatever the f--- they wanna … I’m coming after you,” Patterson said. “When the smoke clears, I’ll be clear.”
Before hanging up – and then calling back a little later to continue his rant – Patterson explained he didn’t appreciate being lumped in with serial abusers like movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, who has been accused by dozens of women of sexual misconduct over decades.
“They used me as a scapegoat,” he said. “I’m not the villain.”
Patterson explained that, as a supervisor, he sometimes wrote up people when their work performance wasn’t up to par.
He believes his accusers want money from the county and that’s why they’ve claimed he asked them to participate in threesomes and perform oral sex, and dry-humped a worker when they were alone together while promising her financial security if she slept with him.
“It’s a lie,” he said. “These women are trying to get a payday.”
Asking a reporter what his girlfriend looked like, Patterson explained that “my woman” – referring to Walker – was beautiful and he didn’t “lower my standards” pursuing women who claimed he tried to get in their pants.
Apparently not even his relationship with Walker, chair of the Trenton Democratic Committee and the head of county’s human resources department, was enough to save Patterson.
He claims she quickly turned on him as the allegations mounted, booting him out of the home they once shared.
“What you think?” Patterson said, sarcastically. “When the sh-- hit the fan, she said she needed her space. I had to move out. Nobody has my back.”
Patterson pointed out he lost his job over similar allegations that have been brought against Warden Charles Ellis and Deputy Warden Phyllis Oliver.
He doesn’t understand how the county decided to part ways with him Oct. 11 while it has stood by the embattled jail bosses, who are still on the job amid separate criminal and human resources probes into their alleged misconduct, which included the alleged propositioning of a corrections nurse for a threesome.
“All these people still working,” Patterson said. “I’m fired. I got fired over some allegations of bullsh-t. What am I? Chopped liver. Easily disposed.”
Then seemingly reversing himself, Patterson, who had initially been hired in late 2013 to work in corrections as a hearing officer before being abruptly transferred, claimed Ellis was his pal.
“He’s a good friend of mine,” Patterson said. “I hate to see him going through this sh-t.”
The county issued a statement denouncing Patterson’s interview claims as “nonsensical.”
“There has been no disparate treatment of Mr. Patterson, and his comments are unwarranted and nonsensical,” spokeswoman Julie Willmot wrote.
Previously, the county explained that Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes pulled the plug on Patterson’s employment after an internal review was handed to an outside law firm which recommended firing him.
The county hasn’t publicly shared the findings of the review which led to Patterson’s dismissal and contends it’s using the same process to determine what actions, if any, to take against the wardens.
It has since went after Patterson to try to recoup more than $2,100 in unearned vacation, sick and personal time the former airport boss used before being let go.
Asked whether he had paid back the money, Patterson acted like he doesn’t owe the county a dime.
“I’m not in the finance department,” he said. “I can’t steal anything.”
The former airport boss claimed he’d be happy to cut a check to the county if they prove he was overpaid. The county has filed a complaint in small claims court to try to get back the money.
So far, it doesn’t appear Patterson has filed a formal response.
“I’m not a criminal,” Patterson said.