BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A detective with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is asking for millions of dollars in damages over claims of gender discrimination and harassment.
The woman filed a tort claim with the county council’s office on Oct. 23.
Her complaint details years of harassment and humiliation she suffered as the only female detective with the agency, which is no longer the case.
The series of events culminated with a male detective releasing an AI-fabricated video in April 2025 containing explicit content involving the woman and his father, which was shared with detectives and patrol officers.
The woman says she filed a complaint over the video and requested an investigation, but her concerns were ignored and the detective who released the video was not disciplined.
She’s seeking $30 million from the county over the economic losses, damage to her reputation and emotional and psychological distress she suffered. Cascadia Daily News first reported the tort claim.
Sheriff Donnell Tanksley tells My Bellingham Now that he’s opened two separate investigations into her claims, one being done internally by a third-party firm.
The detective who is accused of creating the explicit AI video has since been placed on administrative leave as Mount Vernon police conduct a criminal investigation into his actions.
The woman’s allegations come months after former health director Erika Lautenbach filed a separate tort claim with the county over allegations of gender discrimination.
