Suit claims former employee was assaulted, harassed by ex-clerk in civil rights firm

A former receptionist at the Hempstead law practice of Frederick K. Brewington alleged in a lawsuit filed this month in Suffolk that she was raped and subjected to constant sexual harassment by another employee who is the civil rights attorney’s cousin.

Gabrielle Leparik, 28, said in the suit that Brewington’s cousin Dwayne Lindsey, a former file clerk at the firm, demanded sex, sent her lewd photos of himself, and pressured her for nude pictures on an almost daily basis. Lindsey grabbed Leparik by the throat on one occasion and pulled her hair more than once, the suit claimed. 

Leparik was terminated last month after she told the firm she wanted to take a two-week leave from her job to address mental health issues. 

“Plaintiff realized that despite certain false claims made in the firm’s employment handbook, about its supposed handling of sexual harassment/discrimination incidents, the firm had no such practice or policy in place," the lawsuit said, adding that the firm was instead "hyper-focused" on maintaining Brewington’s image as a civil rights advocate.

Brewington and the law firm are named as defendants, along with Leparik’s supervisor Precilla Lockett and former legal assistant Dana-Simone Williams. In a separate federal suit filed in February, Williams had claimed she was subjected to sexual harassment while working for the firm.

The suit, which seeks unspecified financial damages, says the defendants failed to support her or intervene after they learned of the alleged assault and harassment and that Leparik was subject to "extreme and outrageous conduct" by her supervisors. 

The lawsuit said that when Leparik, the only white employee at the firm, offered to clean up after an office pizza party in March 2021, Williams told her, “That’s right, b—-. We’re the masters, you’re the slave now.” 

Brewington said Leparik’s allegations were untrue and that the firm would respond to the allegations “appropriately and respectfully.’’

“I am very disappointed that after giving people an opportunity to elevate themselves, we would be treated this way,” he said. 

Lindsey vehemently denied the allegations of rape and sexual harassment. “No way that is possible,” he told Newsday on Monday. “That is false. That is totally false.” 

According to the lawsuit, Lindsey was fired in June after Leparik told Brewington about the alleged rape, which her attorney, Vesselin Mitev of Stony Brook, said did not occur at the firm’s office. The firm confirmed Lindsey had been terminated.

Lockett declined to comment. Attorney Taylor Crabill of the Manhattan, who                              represents Williams in the federal lawsuit, also declined to comment Monday. 

Leparik did not notify police about the alleged rape, according to Mitev, but is currently considering filing a report. He said there is “confirmatory evidence” that the alleged rape took place. 

Leparik was deeply committed to civil rights and had been initially eager to join Brewington’s team, Mitev said.

“No matter what happens with this lawsuit, Ms. Leparik will never be the same,” he said.