YOUNGSTOWN — A former Mahoning County sheriff’s deputy is suing the department and the county commissioners contending she was forced to quit as a result of her objection to requirements to participate in an undercover sex sting operation, and how she was treated after an inmate threw liquid on her.

The federal lawsuit by Angel Feather of Canfield contends sexual harassment, gender and disability discrimination, and retaliation. It seeks Feather’s reinstatement as well as money to compensate her for “physical injury, physical sickness, lost wages, emotional distress and other consequential damages.”

Feather was making $17.40 an hour, working full-time, when she last worked as a deputy Feb. 6, 2020, according to a court document filed by Andrew D. Pappert, her co-counsel with Brian D. Spitz of the Spitz Law Firm in Beachwood.

In response, Kathleen M. Minahan, a Cleveland-based attorney hired to defend the sheriff’s office and commissioners, wrote the lawsuit “is frivolous and was brought in bad faith.”

Minahan also wrote Feather voluntarily resigned, she failed to “exhaust administrative remedies” before filing the lawsuit, and “some or all” of her claims are “barred” by the “statute of limitations.”

Feather initially filed the lawsuit April 1 in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court. But it was moved to federal court in Akron and assigned to U.S. District Court Judge Sara Lioi. A telephone conference between the parties was held Wednesday.

Read more in Sunday’s Vindicator.