Lambert St. Louis International Airport
ST. LOUIS — A former airport security guard has filed a lawsuit against three private security companies, alleging he was falsely accused of sending a graphic sexual video to a co-worker, resulting in the loss of his job, the spread of defamatory rumors and lasting emotional distress.
Russell Lanton is suing GardaWorld Security Services, Protective Services Group and Gateway Security Service in St. Louis Circuit Court.
Despite what he calls clear evidence proving the accusation was false, Lanton claims the defendants not only terminated his employment but also allowed damaging allegations to circulate among employees at Lambert St. Louis International Airport, where he had been working, according to the June 5 complaint.
Lanton was hired in March 2023 and began work at Terminal 2 of the airport in early April.
He claims he worked the night shift, primarily overseeing traffic at passenger pickup and the parking garage. The complaint states Lanton was well-liked, never received any disciplinary action and had no prior indications of job performance issues.
The controversy began months after the termination of a former GardaWorld supervisor, Lt. Priscilla Ward, who was allegedly fired for policy violations after driving a company patrol car to her home.
Though Lanton claims he had minimal interaction with Ward, exchanging numbers only for work-related reasons, he asserts he did not communicate with her after she was rehired by Protective Services Group and returned to the airport in August 2023.
On Nov. 20, Lanton received a phone call from a GardaWorld supervisor instructing him not to report to work and to contact manager Scott Newman.
When Lanton spoke with Newman, he was told that Newman had received a video of a man masturbating, allegedly sent by Lanton to Ward. Lanton, in shock, denied the accusation and arranged to meet with Gateway Security staff to review the video in question.
The lawsuit states that the individuals who reviewed the video with Lanton agreed that he was not the person in the footage. The differences were reportedly obvious: the man in the video had a different facial structure, darker skin, lacked Lanton’s distinctive chest tattoos, and was physically larger. Lanton, who is 5'6", claimed these discrepancies should have conclusively cleared him.
Despite this, Lanton was told not to return to work. He was informed that GardaWorld would not allow him back at the airport and that Gateway Security had no equivalent positions that matched his pay or location, especially since he lacked the permit required for armed posts.
In the weeks that followed, Lanton says he began receiving messages from at least six co-workers who had heard he was fired for sending inappropriate images to Ward.
The lawsuit alleges that false information about the video spread among employees of GardaWorld, Gateway, Protective Services and others, harming Lanton’s reputation and professional standing.
Lanton attempted to clear his name, contacting GardaWorld’s HR department directly to file a complaint.
He was told, however, that he was not allowed to submit the complaint himself and would need Gateway to do so. He subsequently filed complaints with both Gateway and Protective Services but claims he never received any communication or follow-up.
Months later, the lawsuit states that rumors about Lanton’s alleged misconduct continued to circulate among airport security personnel. He believes the companies involved did nothing to correct the record, prevent the spread of misinformation or investigate the legitimacy of the claims.
Lanton is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, reinstatement to his former post at the airport, coverage of legal fees and other relief the court deems appropriate. He has also demanded a jury trial.
Lanton is represented by Jase Carter of Carter Law Firm in St. Louis.
St. Louis Circuit Court case number: 25SL-CC06107