By Richard Sullins | richard@rantnc.com

A former Lee County Emergency Services employee has filed a federal lawsuit alleging he was fired after reporting sexual harassment by his supervisor, who he claims was having an affair with a county contractor.

Eric Rodman is a former Lee County Emergency Services employee who worked in the department for less than three months in 2021. He filed suit in August 2023 against the county and former Lee County Manager Dr. John Crumpton after reporting former Emergency Manager Shane Seagroves harassed him following an affair he alleges Seagroves had with a county Emergency Services contractor.

The contractor is named in the lawsuit, but not as a defendant, so The Rant is not disclosing their name.

According to Rodman’s lawsuit, Seagroves, who served as the county’s emergency management director from 2009 to 2021, had been engaged in affair with the contractor. Rodman’s suit goes on to allege that upon the completion of Seagroves’ alleged affair with the contractor, he began sending threatening messages to Rodman, accusing him of engaging in a relationship of his own with the same person. The lawsuit doesn’t address whether the allegations of a relationship between Rodman and the contractor are true.

The complaint lays out a number of incidents that allegedly took place in late October and early November of 2021 in which Rodman says Seagroves attempted to intimidate and threaten Rodman, who was at the time still working under Seagroves. It alleges Seagroves used his Lee County-issued cell phone to send a series of “threatening and coercive text messages,” with many suggesting Rodman “would be hurt or fired” if he was having a personal relationship with the contractor.

Rodman said in the suit he was contacted by Seagroves on October 26, 2021, saying “you’re going to get burned” and “she’s off limits.” The complaint alleges there were many other text messages sent by Seagroves to the contractor and Rodman during this period that were “filled with incendiary profanity and threats, including ruining (Rodman’s) career.” It also cites two instances on October 30 and November 5 of that year in which the suit claims Seagroves drove past Rodman’s house and “surveilled the premises.”

Rodman’s suit alleges he then reported Seagroves’ behavior to Crumpton. He said he told Crumpton to look at Seagroves’ cell phone to find evidence of the threats, intimidation, and sexual harassment.

After making several unsuccessful attempts to talk with Crumpton on November 30, Rodman was eventually able to see the county manager at the end of the day. Rodman’s account indicates Crumpton agreed Seagroves’ behavior merited termination from county employment, and he says Crumpton added Seagroves “had been involved in other workplace sexual relationships besides the one with (the contractor.)”

But on the following morning, Rodman said Crumpton fired him without giving a reason. In answers to Rodman’s claims, the county notes Rodman was still a probationary employee as of December 1 and could be released without cause.

Although the case was filed nine months ago, it came to light because the county Board of Commissioners discussed it in closed session at their meeting Monday night. Despite the closed doors discussion, it’s unlikely the board will have anything to say publicly until the case is resolved. The Rant asked the county for comment Tuesday afternoon, but no response was received by press time. Crumpton declined to comment, saying the county’s response to the lawsuit – which outright denies many of Rodman’s allegations – speaks for itself. Seagroves didn’t respond to a message sent Tuesday afternoon.

Rodman’s suit alleges Seagroves was allowed to retire from his position with Lee County, with full benefits and no disciplinary action, the same day Rodman was fired – December 1, 2021. The Rant published a story the same month on what was publicly known at the time about Seagroves’ departure.

“We’ve built a successful public safety consulting business over the last two years and I’m super excited to start year three with my sole focus on building and expanding across the state,” Seagroves said at the time. “I’ve been blessed to have worked some incredible people over the last 30 years and most importantly the citizens of Lee County are second to none.”

Rodman claims that because of the way he was fired, his ability to find work in the emergency services field with other employers in North Carolina has been irreparably damaged, and he “has suffered mental anguish, lost wages, and other compensatory damages caused by Defendants’ wrongful conduct.”

Rodman is represented by the Greensboro firm of Higgins Benjamin.

A federal mediator has been appointed to work with the parties in search of a resolution. A trial is set for November 4.