ATHENS, Ohio — The U.S. Department of Justice has taken legal action against Joseph Earl Lucas of Amesville, Ohio, for alleged sexual harassment of female tenants and housing applicants, violating the Fair Housing Act. Lucas, a landlord who has owned and managed more than 70 residential rental properties in and around Athens County, is facing a lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.
According to the lawsuit, which stems from a joint investigation with the Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General (HUD-OIG), Lucas is accused of a series of egregious behaviors that span over a period since at least 2004. These behaviors include soliciting sex acts from female tenants and applicants, subjecting female tenants to unwelcome sexual touching, making inappropriate sexual comments and advances, invading their privacy by entering their homes without permission, and even using housing as leverage for sexual favors. The lawsuit further claims that Lucas initiated evictions or threatened to evict female tenants who resisted his advances.
Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division stated, “No one should have to experience sexual harassment in their home or their community. The Justice Department will vigorously enforce fair housing laws to hold accountable landlords who prey on vulnerable tenants and housing applicants.”
U.S. Attorney Kenneth L. Parker for the Southern District of Ohio emphasized, “This lawsuit sends a message that this deplorable behavior has no place in our communities and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will vigorously enforce federal civil rights laws to stop this conduct.”
HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis reaffirmed the importance of a safe housing environment, saying, “Every person deserves to feel safe in housing without facing the threat of being sexually harassed or abused by a landlord.”
The lawsuit seeks various forms of redress, including monetary damages for those affected by the alleged harassment, a civil penalty to uphold the public interest, and a court order preventing future discrimination.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discrimination based on various grounds, including sex and sexual harassment. Individuals who believe they may have been victims of sexual harassment or other housing discrimination related to properties owned or managed by Joseph Lucas are encouraged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Tipline at 513-684-2055, email [email protected], or submit a Civil Rights referral form at www.justice.gov/usao-sdoh/file/1513341/download.
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