SACRAMENTO - A Jane Doe filed a federal lawsuit on December 10 in the Eastern District of California against the City of Elk Grove, Elk Grove Police Department and Gabriel Ramos and Doe 1-5 for unwanted sexual harassment and sexual contact.
According to the lawsuit, Jane Doe, a predominantly Spanish-speaking, 41-year-old single mother of adult children, called 9-1-1 to report a theft of a catalytic converter from her automobile parked near her apartment. Officers were unable to retrieve her vehicle.
All other officers left while Ramos stayed on scene and requested to speak to Doe's husband, the suit claims. Doe explained that she was single, and he then asked for her number in case they needed to contact her again, the suit says.
Ramos began calling Doe multiple times daily from a blocked number and began harassing her, asking her increasingly personal questions, including what kind and color of underwear she wore, the suit claims. In May 2021, Ramos used threats of harm to her son to coerce Doe into renting a room at a hotel, instructed her to buy and wear black lingerie and high-heeled black shoes, to wear perfume, and to meet him on the morning of May 3, 2021, the suit says.
Doe complied due to fear of retaliation, and on the morning of the meeting, Ramos coerced Doe to have sexual relations, she says. Upon leaving, Ramos left $230 in the room to cover Doe's expenses, she says.
Doe called the Rancho Cordova Police Department and officers responded to the hotel, and before officers arrived, Ramos called Doe telling her something had come up and he would not be returning, the suit says. Doe was taken to the hospital for a rape kit.
Doe seeks a judgment in an excess of $1 million, exemplary and punitive damages, actual damages, civil penalties, attorney's fees and cost of suit. Doe is represented by Mark E. Merin on Sacramento.
Eastern District Court of California case number 2:21-cv-02278-TLN-CKD