The Los Angeles Sheriff's Department is accused of gender discrimination and retaliation against Connie Cervantes, the agency's former 12-year director and manager of the Sheriff's Youth Foundation. 
The Los Angeles Sexual Assault Lawyers at the Okorocha Law Firm assert that Cervantes, who had gained national recognition for excellence in her role and strides in benefiting Los Angeles youth, was re-assigned to a lower post solely for her gender, at the behest of a new sergeant supervisor hired in 2011.
Multiple and independent sources verify that Cervantes was highly successful in her role - more so than anyone else who had previously held the position.
However in 2011, the department hired Sgt. A.J. Rotella as the executive director of the charity, effectively making him Cervantes' supervisor. At the outset, Rotella was hostile, not only directly to Cervantes but to women in general. Rotella told Cervantes that he "hated women," believed women to be "incompetent" and further promised that he intended to persuade Sheriff Lee Baca to terminate her employment because she was a female and he "wanted to work with males."
Cervantes' subsequent complaints to the department fell on deaf ears, and no action against Rotella was taken. Instead, Rotella was informed of these complaints, which served as further fuel for his hostility toward Cervantes. Rotella promised that both he and Sheriff Baca intended to get revenge on Cervantes for her complaints.
He made good on that promise by falsely alleging she had violated agency policy - when she had not - and taking multiple disciplinary actions against her. Prior to Rotella's arrival, she had not had a single write-up. Suddenly, she had many.
Further, when Cervantes requested a higher job title, per the national industry standard for someone with her professional duties and experience, Baca falsely asserted he could not give her this title because she lacked a bachelor's degree. However, a short time later, the sheriff awarded that higher title to another person - a male - who also did not have a bachelor's degree. To make matters worse, this individual had no prior experience whatsoever with the foundation. Along with that title, this other male individual was given a salary that was double what Plaintiff Cervantes was making ($120,000 annually to Cervantes' $60,000 annually).
She was subsequently re-assigned to a non-director position with a reduced salary and no prospect of promotion or further career advancement. Essentially, this is the equivalent of professional purgatory.
Specifically, the Okorocha Law Firm asserts that Cervantes was a victim of retaliation by the sheriff's department in violation of Gov. Code 12940 (h), as well as sex discrimination in violation of Gov. code 12940 (a), disparate treatment theory.
This is, but for Cervantes' gender, she would have been entitled to better pay, a higher title and prospective career advancement. Discrimination on this basis is illegal, and should not be tolerated by any entity - let alone one that is sworn to uphold the law.
Cervantes is seeking both compensatory and punitive damages, as well as attorneys' fees and interests.
If you have been a victim of wrong-doing by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, contact The Okorocha Firm at 1-800-285-1763.
Additional Resources:
Cervantes v. County of Los Angeles, et al., Jan. 14, 2013, Superior Court of the State of California, Los Angeles
More Blog Entries:
Female Police Officers in California Allege Sexual Harassment, Retaliation, Sept. 21, 2012, Los Angeles sexual harassment attorney Blog
