Second woman comes forward, accuses deputy of sexual harassment

WARNING: Please be advised that the article below contains disturbing and explicit language, much of it sexual in nature. While most of the mainstream media will likely not report on the explicits once they hear about today's filing, I feel it is important to relay the full and uncensored – albeit disturbing – details of this story.


Another victim of domestic assault is accusing Iredell County Sheriff's Deputy Ben Jenkins of sexually harassing and stalking her at a time when she needed law-enforcement protection the most.

Lisa Mangiardi - an Asheville resident and former criminal court mediator at the Iredell County Courthouse - added her name to a sexual-harassment lawsuit originally filed March 21 by Kannapolis resident Suzanne Wick. The updated lawsuit, which lists both Jenkins and Sheriff Phil Redmond as defendants, was filed late this afternoon in Iredell County Superior Court by Charlotte Attorney Joshua Van Kampen.

Mangiardi came forward after hearing of Wick's lawsuit against Jenkins and Redmond. “Lisa has been filled with misplaced guilt that Defendant Jenkins might not have been in a position to abuse Suzanne had Lisa complained earlier,” states the suit.

Wick and Mangiardi are seeking more than $10,000 in damages. 

Mangiardi, who has a masters degree in education, was hired as a part-time criminal court mediator at the Iredell County courthouse in or around September 2007. She started working full-time about a year later.

“Tellingly, it was not until Defendant Jenkins learned that Lisa was a domestic violence victim that he started to stalk and sexually harass her,” the suit reads. “She had worked in the courthouse for months before filing domestic violence charges and Defendant Jenkins had not pursued her.

“Sadly, based on Lisa and Suzanne's experiences, defendant Jenkins deliberately targets domestic violence victims because they are desperate and more vulnerable to abuse.”

Mangiardi says she turned to the Iredell County Sheriff's Office because her ex-husband was physically abusive toward her and their two children. On May 28, 2008, things turned especially violent when he “went on a rant while walking around with a knife in his back pocket,” the suit reads.

It says Mangiardi's ex-husband “threatened that he would make Lisa suffer long, painfully and slowly and that he would … end it for everyone.” Later that day, Mangiardi's ex-husband – still with the knife in his pocket – said “if he was going to pay then everyone would pay,” the lawsuit reads.

The following day, Mangiardi sought help from the Iredell County Sheriff's Office's Special Victims Unit; Detective Ernie Line – who, according to the lawsuit, was Jenkins' partner at the time – was assigned to the case.

A temporary restraining order (TRO) was issued against Mangiardi's ex-husband on May 29, 2008, and he was arrested on charges of assault on a female and communicating threats. “On June 8, 2008, the Court entered a Memorandum of Judgment," the suit states.

It says it was at that time that Mangiardi officially met Jenkins: “It appeared to Lisa at first that Defendant Jenkins was genuinely offering his support and assistance, and she needed that."


But things changed on or about June 14, 2008, when Mangiardi's ex-husband unexpectedly showed up at her house. Mangiardi believed the visit was in violation of the protective order, the suit states, and she was "confused about whether the TRO was still in place and the extent of protection from contact she had under the Memorandum of Judgment.”

At that time, according to the lawsuit, Jenkins told Mangiardi that “she should call him personally if the ex-husband came to the house again.

“He also encouraged her to meet him at the Sheriff's Domestic Violence Unit so that he could review the Memorandum of Judgment and see what he could do to help her.”

Mangiardi met with Jenkins at the sheriff's office, as the then-detective requested. It was after 5 p.m., so the sheriff's office was “relatively empty,” the suit reads.

“Defendant Jenkins escorted Lisa to an office and closed both doors, which left both of them alone. After closing the doors, Jenkins began grinding his hips and telling her, 'don't you want this,'” the suit states. “Lisa was shocked, but firmly told Defendant Jenkins that she was not interested.

“Jenkins sat down at his desk and continued gyrating in his seat, while trying to persuade Lisa to have sex with him and that no one would have to know,” the suit continues. “At one point, Jenkins also grabbed his penis and shook it, again suggesting that Lisa 'wanted this.'

Deputy Ben Jenkins

“With the doors closed, and Defendant Jenkins' status in the Domestic Violence Unit, not to mention the gun on his hip, Lisa did not feel free to go until Defendant Jenkins dismissed her,” the suit reads.

Mangiardi, like Wick, says Jenkins also stalked her: “He often reported knowing her location or inquired why she was here or there. He told her that he had been outside her house,” the lawsuit states. “Defendent Jenkins also acted very jealous and angrily accused Lisa of 'fucking' other men.”

While Mangiardi was working at the courthouse, she would routinely see Jenkins there. “During these times … Jenkins routinely simulated oral sex in Lisa's direction by pressing his tongue to his cheek and using his hand to simulate a penis entering his mouth,” the suit reads. “While doing the gesture, he would solicit Lisa for sex.

“On many other occasions, he put two fingers in a 'V' shape to his mouth and flickered his tongue simulating oral sex on a woman, while again soliciting her for sex,” it continues. “On at least one occasion in the courthouse, Defendant Jenkins also grabbed his penis and shook it, while coaxing Lisa about 'how badly she knew she wanted it'.”

The suit says Jenkins – through May 2009 – made unwelcome comments to Mangiardi, such as, “can I put my hands up your skirt?,” “just let me get a feel,” “give me a piece of that ass,” “everyone needs a friend with benefits,” “you're making me so horny,” and “I know you want it; come on, no one will ever know.”

The suit states that “several other sexual harassment incidents occurred at a Mexican restaurant near the courthouse.” There, Jenkins – often accompanied by Ernie Line - “would invite themselves to the table where Lisa was eating," the suit states. 

Jenkins would “relentlessly (tell) Lisa all the reasons why she should have sex with him. On several occasions, he also pressed his body against hers in the booth or table," it reads.

“Lisa eventually stopped eating there to avoid Defendant Jenkins.”

The lawsuit says the incidents also occurred outside the courthouse and around neighboring buildings: “On or about May 11 or 12, 2009, Defendant Jenkins gave Lisa a 'hug' for Mother's Day in an area outside the courthouse that included slipping his hands down the backside of Lisa's skirt.”

Also that month, Mangiardi says Jenkins saw her in a conference room at the Iredell County Jail while she was there for a mediation. “He stopped in the doorway and grabbed his penis and motioned with his other hand that she should call him,” the suit states.

During the time of the alleged harassment, Mangiardi “suffered extreme anxiety and depression and was diagnosed with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)," according to the lawsuit.

“As a single mother of four and already deathly afraid of her ex-husband, Lisa feared she could not afford the risk of reporting Defendant Jenkins,” the suit states. “Instead, she put her head down and suffered through, so she could support her family and be safe.”

But once Mangiardi read of Wick's lawsuit, she decided to come forward. The lawsuit says that Mangiardi felt guilty about what happened to Wick because she feels she could have possibly prevented it from happening if she had complained earlier. “In reality,” states the suit, “given Defendant Redmond's woeful track record of holding his deputies accountable, it's at least as likely that Defendant Redmond would not have taken effective remedial action even had she complained.”

Iredell County Sheriff Phil Redmond

Jenkins' alleged harassment of Mangiardi ended in May 2009. Interestingly, Suzanne Wick says he began harassing her in February or March of that same year.

Jenkins, 45, began working for the sheriff's office in August 2002 and was demoted from his position as detective in 2009 after Wick complained of his sexual advances.


Redmond is named in the women's lawsuit for neglecting to act on Wick's information and complaints against Jenkins.

One week after Redmond was most recently re-elected as Iredell County's sheriff, Jenkins began being promoted, from jailer back to deputy sheriff in November 2010. He was promoted back to detective on Nov. 7, 2011. But just two weeks after he was promoted, on Nov. 23, 2011, he was demoted back to deputy sheriff.

He is currently a road patrolman, making $38,972.04 a year.