Joe Nelson, Staff Writer
Posted: 01/07/2010 07:01:40 PM PST

A Redlands woman whose allegations of sexual harassment against San Bernardino County District Attorney Michael A. Ramos spurred an investigation has filed a $1.5 million claim against the county, Ramos and two of his high ranking staff.

Cheryl Ristow, a seven-year employee of the District Attorney’s Office, states in her claim that she had a 3 1/2-year affair with Ramos that ended in 2005.

Her claim is a precursor to a lawsuit.

In an August interview with The Sun, Ristow said her alleged affair with Ramos lasted 17 months, from September 2003 through February 2005.

On Thursday, she said information in the claim stating the affair lasted 3 1/2 years was inaccurate and caused by a typo. She said she meant to type “1 1/2 years.”

Beginning in May 2005, Ristow said she was subjected to a rebuff by Ramos and a workplace vendetta when information about the alleged affair surfaced in a local newspaper, according to the claim, filed Wednesday with the county. The claim also alleges intentional infliction of emotional distress, slander, defamation of character and workplace retaliation, among other charges.

Ristow is seeking $1.5 million in damages and expenses and $38,000 in lost wages.

Ramos has denied the allegations since they first surfaced in May.

“I continue to vigorously deny these false and politically-motivated accusations and look forward to the truth coming out in a court of law,” Ramos said in a statement Thursday.

Also named in the claim as causing injury, damage or loss to Ristow are Supervising Deputy District Attorney Michael Fermin and Chief District Attorney Investigator Michael Smith.

According to the claim, Fermin served as a go-between for Ramos. He called Ristow in May and asked her to contact Ramos. Ristow called Ramos, who told her about a story that was about to be published in a local newspaper detailing their alleged affair, and said, “We just don’t talk about it.”

In the months that followed, Ristow alleges Ramos cut off contact with her and her supervisors subjected her to unwarranted disciplinary action over “trivial” matters. She went out on stress leave in July and has not returned to work as an investigative technician ever since.

Fermin and Smith declined comment Thursday through office spokeswoman Susan Mickey, who said the two wished not to comment outside Ramos’s statement.

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