CHARLESTON -- Another woman has filed a lawsuit against a former Kanawha County Sheriff’s Deputy alleging months of sexual abuse.
The unidentified woman filed the complaint August 25 in federal court against former deputy Cass Close, a John Doe deputy and the Kanawha County Commission.
Forbes
On July 29, Cass sexually assaulted and abused another woman while she was in custody at the courthouse. That civil complaint details how Cass made sexual comments to the woman before forcing her to perform sexual acts, exposing himself and taking photographs of her against her will.
diTrapano
The 54-year-old Close, who lives in Quick, was charged in the earlier case with imposition of sexual acts on persons incarcerated, detained or under supervision. He is being held in a regional jail. The West Virginia State Police is handling the investigation. The criminal complaint charging Close said he provided a confession to investigators, and Close was fired by the county and arrested by State Police.
“Unfortunately, these new allegations detail a disturbing pattern of conduct that went on for nearly 18 months,” Jesse Forbes, one of the attorneys representing both women, told The West Virginia Record. This is a brave survivor who while trying to battle the scourge of substance use and other mental health disorders was allegedly preyed upon by this wolf in police clothing.
“As alleged, he forced her to live in nearly perpetual fear not only of further abuse but of how he might retaliate if she failed to comply or tried to expose the actions.
““Sadly, these allegations seem to confirm what many have suspected, that, as alleged, this was no isolated incident.”
In the 48-page complaint, the woman, identified only as C.C.V.2, says Close abused her for about 18 months from late 2023 until this year. The woman says she suffers from substance use disorder and other mental health issues that caused her to be arrested on many occasions for misdemeanor offenses.
The plaintiff says she often appeared at the Kanawha County Judicial Annex Courthouse for appearances and hearings, and she says she encountered Close about 20 times.
She says Close began his interactions with her with extremely inappropriate comments, such as asking if “she was shaved down there” as well as using threatening and intimidating conduct before physically and otherwise abusing her.
While awaiting transport to South Central Regional Jail following a magistrate court appearance, the woman – who was handcuffed at the time – says Close forced her against the holding cell door and penetrated her vagina with his fingers while making sexual comments.
“When Deputy Sheriff Close was not stating profane, abusive, and sexually hostile language into plaintiff’s ear while he sexually assaulted, abused and molested her, the only noise in the holding cell area was the clanging of plaintiff’s handcuffs and the grunts of defendant Deputy Sheriff Close,” the complaint states. “Plaintiff was in shock and feared seeking help as she was scared of the repercussions of Deputy Sheriff Close.
“Further, plaintiff had been assaulted in her past on several occasions including as a minor and this event immediately triggered and exacerbated underlying trauma issues related to those prior assaults.”
In another encounter with Close, the woman says he took her to a quieter part of the courthouse lobby and began making inappropriate sexual comments. She says he also told her to put his cell phone number in her phone, go to the women’s restroom and take a picture of her naked body and text it to him. She says she did so because she feared Close, who then sent her a picture of his penis.
The woman says Close would force his body upon her almost every time she saw him, and he would rub himself against her in what he called a “hug.” She says he often told her he wanted to have sex with her and that he wanted her to give him oral sex.
She says the unknown deputy bailiff failed to stop Close from abusing her.
The plaintiff accuses Close and the unnamed deputy working with him of violating her civil rights. She accuses the commission of negligent training, negligent supervision, negligent retention, negligence, negligent infliction of emotional distress, violations of the West Virginia Human Rights Act and a Monell liability for the violations of its employees.
“These allegations detail an ongoing and regular course of abuse that resulted in our client living in fear and being abused in ways that no one should ever endure,” Dante diTrapano, another attorney representing the plaintiff, told The Record. “As described this alleged abuse went on for months at the hands of a law enforcement official in charge of her liberty and will continue to haunt and torment her as she navigates the pathway forward.
“Our client bravely brought forth the details of her ordeal and is working with both the criminal and civil justice systems to obtain accountability for these alleged deplorable actions. While our client unfortunately had her world turned upside down in her prior dealings, as alleged, with this bailiff, we are confident that through this civil justice action she will ultimately achieve a sense of justice and that her abuser will be held accountable.”
The attorneys also said county officials are cooperating with them on the matter.
“We appreciate the continued efforts of the County Commission, Sheriff, Prosecutor and others in the ongoing investigations and are hopeful that all such abuses will see the light of day and that measures will be taken to prevent such egregious acts from ever being perpetrated again.”
The woman seeks general, compensatory and punitive damages as well as pre- and post-judgment interests, court costs, attorney fees and other relief.
She is being represented by Forbes and Jennifer N. Taylor of Forbes Law Offices in Charleston as well as by diTrapano, Amanda J. Davis and Timothy D. Houston of Calwell Luce diTrapano in Charleston.
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia case number 2:25-cv-00514
