Receptionist sues boss for allegedly masturbating on her
Jorge Garcia was charged with indecent exposure after he allegedly ejaculated onto a woman at his office.
By Lisa Sweetingham
Court TV
Jorge Garcia is a polite, soft-spoken man who answers his own phone at his legal services firm in Houston. In fact, he has become his own secretary since his receptionist quit, filed criminal charges against him, and sued Garcia for allegedly masturbating on her during her second day on the job.
Kristina Roberts, 37, claims she was alone at JEG Advertising with her new boss on Sept. 9 when he approached her while holding his penis.
"Plaintiff was sitting at her desk doing the work she was given earlier that day when Mr. Garcia came up behind her," her civil suit says. "He asked Ms. Roberts to turn around, and when she did, defendant proceeded to ejaculate onto her and her clothing. Mr. Garcia apologized and stated that he did not mean to do that."
"You don't really want to go there, do you? I really don't have any comment at all," Garcia told Courttv.com when asked about the incident. "Just say it was consensual."
There is no mention of consensual activity in Roberts' suit, filed after Thanksgiving in Harris County.
A police spokesman confirmed that Roberts called police on Sept. 29, accusing Garcia of masturbating in her presence. Garcia was charged with one count of misdemeanor indecent exposure on Oct. 28, and he voluntarily turned himself in to authorities.
"She's just lying about everything," Garcia said. "Everything that happened was between the both of us. It was consensual. It had nothing to do with what she's saying. But I don't really want to say anything else."
Roberts and Garcia both say they have no history together. They met through a mutual acquaintance. He needed help around the office. She needed a job.
Roberts, who declined to be interviewed, has been in therapy since allegedly being ejaculated on, according to her attorney Ken Bigham.
"Her reaction was obviously one of disbelief at first," Bigham told Courttv.com. "And then shock, and outrage. It scared her badly."
Roberts has yet to seek a new job. She claims in her suit to continue to suffer from mental anguish and humiliation from Garcia's "extreme and outrageous conduct."
She is seeking unspecified damages for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence for Garcia's "failing to control his actions."
Her attorney concedes that the offense may sound almost inconceivable to outsiders.
"In my business, when you're relying on eyewitness testimony, the person has to be credible. And by all appearances, I believe she is very credible," Bigham said. "If I didn't believe that she was telling the truth, I wouldn't try to help her."
Bigham says he hopes to locate previous JEG employees, because while he is unaware of any similar incidents, he has suspicions.
"A guy doesn't wake up one day and decide to do this to somebody," he said. "This is the most egregious thing I've ever seen in the workplace."
Garcia says he intends to plead not guilty to the indecent exposure charge when he returns to court on Dec. 20.
If convicted in the criminal case, he faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison and $2,000 in fines.
http://www.courttv.com/news/2005/1213/garcia_ctv.html
Jorge Garcia was charged with indecent exposure after he allegedly ejaculated onto a woman at his office.
By Lisa Sweetingham
Court TV
Jorge Garcia is a polite, soft-spoken man who answers his own phone at his legal services firm in Houston. In fact, he has become his own secretary since his receptionist quit, filed criminal charges against him, and sued Garcia for allegedly masturbating on her during her second day on the job.
Kristina Roberts, 37, claims she was alone at JEG Advertising with her new boss on Sept. 9 when he approached her while holding his penis.
"Plaintiff was sitting at her desk doing the work she was given earlier that day when Mr. Garcia came up behind her," her civil suit says. "He asked Ms. Roberts to turn around, and when she did, defendant proceeded to ejaculate onto her and her clothing. Mr. Garcia apologized and stated that he did not mean to do that."
"You don't really want to go there, do you? I really don't have any comment at all," Garcia told Courttv.com when asked about the incident. "Just say it was consensual."
There is no mention of consensual activity in Roberts' suit, filed after Thanksgiving in Harris County.
A police spokesman confirmed that Roberts called police on Sept. 29, accusing Garcia of masturbating in her presence. Garcia was charged with one count of misdemeanor indecent exposure on Oct. 28, and he voluntarily turned himself in to authorities.
"She's just lying about everything," Garcia said. "Everything that happened was between the both of us. It was consensual. It had nothing to do with what she's saying. But I don't really want to say anything else."
Roberts and Garcia both say they have no history together. They met through a mutual acquaintance. He needed help around the office. She needed a job.
Roberts, who declined to be interviewed, has been in therapy since allegedly being ejaculated on, according to her attorney Ken Bigham.
"Her reaction was obviously one of disbelief at first," Bigham told Courttv.com. "And then shock, and outrage. It scared her badly."
Roberts has yet to seek a new job. She claims in her suit to continue to suffer from mental anguish and humiliation from Garcia's "extreme and outrageous conduct."
She is seeking unspecified damages for assault and battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress and negligence for Garcia's "failing to control his actions."
Her attorney concedes that the offense may sound almost inconceivable to outsiders.
"In my business, when you're relying on eyewitness testimony, the person has to be credible. And by all appearances, I believe she is very credible," Bigham said. "If I didn't believe that she was telling the truth, I wouldn't try to help her."
Bigham says he hopes to locate previous JEG employees, because while he is unaware of any similar incidents, he has suspicions.
"A guy doesn't wake up one day and decide to do this to somebody," he said. "This is the most egregious thing I've ever seen in the workplace."
Garcia says he intends to plead not guilty to the indecent exposure charge when he returns to court on Dec. 20.
If convicted in the criminal case, he faces a maximum sentence of six months in prison and $2,000 in fines.
http://www.courttv.com/news/2005/1213/garcia_ctv.html
