The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday awarded $3.3 million in three settlements stemming from allegations of sexual harassment by a county employee and assault and battery during separate arrests and incarcerations involving sheriff’s deputies.
The largest settlement — $1.5 million — was given to Jacob Servin, who was arrested on suspicion of public intoxication in December 2019. In a lawsuit against the county, Servin alleged that sheriff’s deputies brutally beat him inside the San Joaquin County Jail.
Video released by the Sheriff’s Office showed deputies placing Servin in a holding cell after authorities said he refused to answer medical screening questions. The video shows multiple law enforcement personnel entering and exiting the cell, which was off-camera, during a 13-minute span. The video then jumps to an hour later, with Servin being escorted from his cell without socks or shoes and with blood covering his face and pants.
San Joaquin County Sheriff Patrick Withrow said at the time that Servin was “extremely intoxicated” and became combative with officers. However, the district attorney refused to file charges against him, the Stockon Record reported.
A year later, Servin filed a lawsuit against the county for civil rights violations, assault and battery, negligence and other related causes, according to a recommendation for the settlement from the office of the County Counsel.
Supervisors also approved a $950,000 settlement for Kelly Gilbert, who was hired as an investigator by the county public defender’s office in 2017. Gilbert alleges that she was “sexually harassed and discriminated against” by a supervisor, who was not identified, according to Tuesday’s consent agenda.
Gilbert says she was fired because of her complaints, which prompted her to file suit.
The board also awarded $850,000 to Danny Sigman, who was arrested at his home on June 14, 2023, by sheriff’s deputies following a 911 call about a domestic disturbance.
Sigman filed a lawsuit on Feb. 14, 2024, alleging violations of his civil rights, assault, battery and trespassing during his arrest.
In recommending the payouts, the office of the County Counsel told the board, “it is in the county’s best interest.”
County spokesperson Hilary Crowley offered no additional information about the settlements, all three of which passed unanimously without discussion.