A new complaint was filed Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court with dozens of individuals alleging sexual abuse, sexual harassment and other charges while they were housed in a county juvenile facility, according to the attorney who filed the complaint.
“Our firm represents over 500 people,” Doug Rochen, ACTS Law, attorney said.
He says the allegations in his cases span from the 1970’s to as recently as this year.
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“This is not a problem that has gone away. This is not a problem that has been appropriately addressed,” Rochen said.
One man, who did not want to be identified, is among the new complainants, according to Rochen.
The local business owner tells the NBC4 I-Team, he was 15 years old when he was sexually abused by a female probation officer inside a county juvenile hall.
“I felt used. I felt abused. I felt ashamed,” the man told the I-Team.
“When she sat on my bed, she grabbed my private area. I bounced back like, what you doing? I was kind of scared, nervous,” the man said.
“Right before she left out, she was like, make sure you don't tell nobody, or you're going to be in here for a long time,” he said, adding he felt threatened.
Glenn Jefferson says he was 15 years old when a male probation officer assaulted him inside a LA County juvenile hall. The 43-year old father of two joined a previously filed complaint and is now speaking publicly about what he claims happened to him.
“I tried to fight back. He raped me,” Jefferson said.
“I've been in the dark and I'm fighting with it every day. I'm not going to get over this, but talking about it, talking to being free with it, I'm feeling a little bit better,” Jefferson added.
Rochen explains recent updates to California law opened the door for more alleged victims of child abuse to take legal action, by extending the statute of limitation on certain cases.
He says his clients are seeking monetary compensation and the potential payouts from these lawsuits could reach well into the millions.
“Psychological counseling and all the different modalities of therapies over a period of years is hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Rochen said.
The allegations of abuse come at a moment of intense scrutiny for the county’s juvenile halls.
In May, a state board ordered the halls to close down – calling them “unsuitable” to house young people.
The county is in the process of making changes that include adding more staff and reopening a renovated Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall.
We asked the county Probation Department about the allegations of child abuse in the complaints; they tell the I-Team in an email:
“The Los Angeles County Probation Department does not comment on pending allegations or litigation.”
