Recall petition filed against Storey County Sheriff Antinoro

A group of women has filed a notice of intent with the Nevada Secretary of State seeking to recall Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro from office.

“The Storey County residents that have banded together for this effort have had enough of Antinoro’s misconduct,” said spokesman Kris Thompson.

In order to force a recall election, she and her supporters must collect signatures of 25 percent of the people who voted in Antinoro’s 2014 election. Since there were 1,886 votes cast in that election, they need 472 valid signatures.

Thompson said a workplace investigator hired by the county found Antinoro had “engaged in repeated acts of sexual harassment of a married female subordinate.” But Thompson said the county commission says they can’t discipline or remove him because he is an elected official.

“So Storey County then conducted sexual harassment training for all county leaders and employees and Antinoro, in his arrogance, chose not to attend this training,” the complaint alleges.

Thompson said that isn’t the only instance where Antinoro has been accused of misconduct.

She charged that his conduct has resulted in five terminations, two transfers of women out of the sheriff’s department and, to date, the county has had to pay $144,000 to settle two wrongful termination claims.

She said Antinoro is also the subject of an ethics complaint charging he misused his office to endorse a candidate in an election race.

Antinoro said the recall petition is part of “a continuing attempt by specific interests to control the operations of the Sheriff’s Office.”

He said the majority of the allegations have been debunked.

“The truth of the matter is this group is motivated by their personal interests while trying to sell it as a collective good,” he said. “I have strived to provide fair and impartial treatment to all people and I have worked diligently with many people trying to improve the quality of life for our residents.”