Steve Stephens – Wood County Sheriff’s Office

Former Sheriff Steve Stephens faced multiple lawsuits alleging harassment, creation of a hostile work environment, and violations of employment laws. In 2023, former Sgt. Della Matheny filed a lawsuit claiming Stephens harassed female employees and engaged in retaliatory acts, leading to her resignation. The case was settled in March 2024, with Matheny reinstated as a sergeant and receiving $275,000. Another lawsuit by Deputy Tasha Hewitt alleged gender discrimination and retaliation; it was settled in April 2024 for $105,000. Additional lawsuits by Court Officer Mark Harris and Deputy Timothy Allen were settled in June 2024. Stephens retired as sheriff effective December 1, 2021.

## Officer Forum Links:
– [Steve Stephens](https://watchaudits.com/forums/topic/steve-stephens/)

Forum Links

Posted in Audits Law Enforcement Agencies: Officer Names: States:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Welcome to Police Accountability Database

Our Mission

We're building a comprehensive database of police interactions to promote accountability and transparency in law enforcement.

How You Can Participate

  • View the Blog: Read about documented police interactions
  • Share Your Experience: Submit your own police interaction story
  • Browse the Forums: Check if your local law enforcement has been documented

Important Community Guidelines

It is strictly against our rules to:

  • Make threats of any kind
  • Share private information such as personal emails, home addresses, or phone numbers

Violation of these rules will result in immediate content removal and possible account suspension.

Why This Matters

By organizing this data, we can potentially demonstrate when officers were previously aware of laws they later claim ignorance of, challenging qualified immunity defenses and promoting accountability.