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In a surprising reversal, Attorney General Marc Dann's office released 12 pages of notes that detail allegations of repeated sexual harassment and possibly an attempt to destroy text messages that may document the incidents.

Dann's office made the sexual harassment complaint public late Tuesday, April 15, after telling media outlets for more than a week that it was a confidential record.

Executive Assistant Attorney General Ben Espy, who is investigating the allegations, decided to release the material, Dann spokesman Ted Hart said.

Dann's Equal Employment Opportunity officer, Angela Smedlund, interviewed Cindy Stankoski and Vanessa Stout on March 31 about problems they had had with their boss, Anthony Gutierrez, who is Dann's friend and former roommate.

Smedlund's notes reveal the following:

Stankoski agreed to go out for drinks with Gutierrez last Sept. 10, but said she soon "felt tipsy and trapped." She agreed to go to an apartment Gutierrez shared with Dann and Communications Director Leo Jennings III. She called and text-messaged friends that night.

In the margin, Smedlund wrote: "Leo & Tony destroyed texts Tony admitted to Charlie." The notes do not identify Charlie's last name.

Jennings and Gutierrez are now both on paid administrative leave.

Attorney Rex Elliott, who represents Stout and Stankoski, said six to 12 text messages were sent that night. On Monday, Elliott said the women have text messages, e-mails and "the whole nine yards to prove exactly what they're saying."

Stankoski awoke that night to find her pants undone and Gutierrez next to her in his underwear, the notes said.

The Sept. 10 incident wasn't the only run-in Stankoski had with Gutierrez.

On Oct. 3, Stankoski, Gutierrez and two other employees dropped off state vehicles in Cincinnati and Stankoski ended up riding back to Columbus with Gutierrez but stopped at a bar where Gutierrez used vulgar language to say that her good looks got her the job.

Then, also in early October, Stankoski met Gutierrez, Jennings and Jennifer Urban, an assistant attorney general, at Mitchell's Ocean Club, a pricey Columbus-area restaurant. While outside smoking a cigarette, Gutierrez repeatedly told Stankoski he wanted to have sex.

Stankoski said she told him off and left. "Next day he came in looking horrible, reeked of booze, vomit caked on his nose, said so drunk fell asleep behind wheel — state Suburban — hit guardrail and woke up," the notes say.

Stankoski reported that when Stout was hired in November, Gutierrez shifted some of his attention to Stout, 26.

Stout told Smedlund that Gutierrez bought her a "sex toy" before she got her state job.

According to the notes, Stout said she was "very uncomfortable" and "all are pigs."

Gutierrez referred questions to his attorney, who could not be reached for comment. Jennings has not returned telephone messages.

Contact this reporter

at (614) 224-1624 or

lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.

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