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UPDATE: Revenge porn lawsuit involving Las Vegas Fire and Rescue set for settlement

Female firefighter at center of revenge porn scandal seeks to sue Las Vegas Fire and Rescue
Female firefighter at center of revenge porn scandal seeks to sue Las Vegas Fire and Rescue
Posted at 9:38 PM, Oct 05, 2020
and last updated 2020-10-07 13:36:27-04

UPDATE OCT. 7: Las Vegas City Council approved the $280,000 settlement with a female Las Vegas Fire and Rescue firefighter who claimed sex discrimination in the workplace.

The settlement was approved as part of the council's Consent Agenda along with roughly 40 other agenda items without comment.

ORIGINAL STORY: A two-year legal saga surrounding a revenge porn scandal that involved the highest-ranking officials with Las Vegas Fire and Rescue is set for a $280,000 settlement, 13 investigates has learned.

The situation was first reported by 13 Investigates in Oct. 2018 and ended up in a federal lawsuit.

The case got the attention of top brass the Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, Station 1, in downtown Las Vegas.

RELATED: Revenge porn lawsuit claims Vegas firefighters circulated video of coworker

According to the lawsuit, a female firefighter learned a video she shot and sent to her then-boyfriend, a City of Henderson Firefighter, was making the rounds on taxpayer time and city property.

Both sides have agreed to a settlement that is up for approval during the Las Vegas City Council meeting on Wednesday.

"I think that it sends enough of a message that this type of behavior will not be tolerated and with most of the post case investigation was handled, I think that hopefully, nothing like this will ever happen again," said Attorney Jenny Foley with HKM Employment Attorneys.

The lawsuit claimed Las Vegas Fire and Rescue command staff bungled the investigation, naming Chief Willie McDonald and a number of high ranking members for their involvement and handling of the situation.

According to court records, one LVFR captain told the female firefighter, "You have to realize, guys are perverts and you're a hot chick, and if there's a naked video, they're going to want to watch it."

The settlement is coming from a TORT liability fund and if approved, the lawsuit against the city and the fire department will be dropped.

"I think it's a message to anyone who's going to let their employees engage in this kind of behavior and certainly to the individuals involved in this case that people should sit back and take notice that it's not always going to go unnoticed," said Foley.

Court filings indicate several city employees received varying levels of punishment.

13 Investigates reached out to the City of Las Vegas for comment and a spokesperson says they are unable to comment on personnel matters, including pending or ongoing litigation.

Revenge porn is a crime in Nevada, but public records show no one involved in the scandal has been charged.

The city council is set to meet and likely approve the settlement during a regular meeting on Wednesday.

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