County prosecutor declines to pursue sexual harassment case against Deerfield trustee

The Portage County prosecutor’s office has decided not to pursue a Deerfield Township employee’s allegation that a trustee had repeatedly subjected him to sexual harassment.

In a July 1 letter to the trustees, a road department employee stated that on numerous occasions since the spring of 2023, Trustee Tiffany Havens made “unwanted sexual advances,” inappropriately touching him, engaging in “unwanted flirting,” rubbing his shoulders and making other gestures.

The employee further stated that several township employees had witnessed Havens’ “unwarranted and unprovoked” actions multiple times and wrote that each incident had occurred on township property while he was on the clock.

The trustees referred the matter to the Portage County Sheriff’s Office for investigation. The sheriff’s office forwarded its findings to the prosecutor’s office.

“Our review was limited to any possible criminal violations involving sexual conduct under the Ohio Revised Code. We found none,” county Prosecutor Victor Vigluicci wrote in a statement to The Portager. “Matters of improper workplace conduct or ‘harassment’ do not necessarily rise to the level of a crime and, as such, are generally handled internally within the workplace by employee discipline or education.”

Trustee Laura Lindberg read a communication trustees received from the prosecutor’s office aloud, saying no crime was evident and that alleged misconduct by a township trustee is governed by the Ohio Revised Code.

“So that matter is closed,” she said.