Federal Lawsuit Filed Against Moore Landlord For Sexual Harassment

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil rights lawsuit against an Oklahoma landlord.

Shevis Petties of Moore is accused of sexually harassing female tenants in violation of the Fair Housing Act (FHA). The civil lawsuit claims the sexual harassment went on for years and involved multiple victims including juveniles, but the defendant in this case denies it all. “I haven't broken any laws to this magnitude,” defendant Shevis Petties said.

However, the lawsuit filed in Oklahoma City Federal Court claims otherwise. According to the lawsuit, the 47-year-old has owned or managed at least four residential rental properties in Oklahoma City, Forest Park, and Moore since 2016. The lawsuit laid out multiple allegations against Petties involving his women tenants including unwelcome sexual contact, physical assault, photographing tenants in their bedrooms and bathrooms without consent and even demanding sexual acts under the threat of losing their housing.

“These women lived in fear every day that their landlord would enter their bedroom unannounced, film them in the bathroom, make lewd comments about their bodies and appearance, and grope them,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to enforcing federal civil rights laws to ensure landlords are held accountable for unlawful and predatory behavior.”

When asked if he sexually harassed his female tenants, Petties replied, “No, no, no, I would never do that.”

The lawsuit also names the current owners of the rental properties, TMH Group Inc., The Monarch House LLC, also known as Monarch House LLC, and Exceptional Service Company LLC as defendants. “I don't think I’ve done anything wrong as far as these allegations,” Petties said.

The DOJ is demanding a jury trial and seeking monetary damages for the victims. We reached out to Oklahoma City and Moore police and found they had investigated Petties for misdemeanors in the past but police say charges were never filed.