Ex-Dunwoody police officer wins sexual harassment lawsuit against former supervisor

DUNWOODY, Ga. - A DeKalb County jury has awarded a former Dunwoody police officer $180,000 in his civil case against one of the city's former lieutenants.

Bryan Castellanos filed the lawsuit in 2022 against former Lt. Fidel Espinoza, the city of Dunwoody, its police department, and more, Appen Media reports. The City of Dunwoody, and its police department, were removed from the case.

As part of his complaint, Castellanos claimed that Espinoza sexually harassed him by taking photos of him using a urinal without his consent and demanded sexual favors and intimate photos in exchange for more time off from work.

The lawsuit also claimed that Espinoza sent harassing messages to Castellanos' wife.

Former Dunwoody Police Lt. Felix Espinoza (Dunwoody Police Department)

Espinoza, then one of the faces of the police department, resigned from the force in 2020 after being investigated for sexual harassment and professional misconduct.

While Castellanos was asking for $500,000 in damages, the jury awarded him $60,000 in compensatory damages and $120,000 in punitive damages.