An L.A. County Coroner's Office lieutenant has been arrested and charged with repeatedly sexually harassing a female investigator. Lt. Ryan Hays, 46, has been charged with nine total misdemeanor counts, which include indecent exposure, lewd conduct in public and sexual battery, the L.A. Times reports. He was arrested after turning himself in yesterday.
Hays' coworker alleges that between January 4 and April 3 of last year, Hays harassed her several times. She said he groped her, exposed himself to her and sent her obscene videos of himself. Hays, who is married and lives in Brea, had been with the Coroner's Office since 2006.
Assistant Chief Ed Winter said that Hays had been placed on administrative assignment at home with pay after the allegations came out, but in light of the charges, is now on leave without pay, ABC 7 reports.
An anonymous source from the coroner's office told KTLA that this type of behavior had allegedly gone on for years, and that officials had previously ignored complaints about Hays.
