Official Traded Sex for Electricity, Woman Says

GREENVILLE, Miss. (CN) - A woman struggling to pay her bills claims the City of Aberdeen's utilities director offered to keep her electricity on if she had sex with him, and "from time to time, when the plaintiff refused, defendant [Adrian] Garth would cause plaintiff's electricity to be turned off."

In her federal complaint, says she reported the harassment to the mayor of Aberdeen, but Garth called her a "liar" when the mayor confronted him about it.

She claims that Garth then "arbitrarily set plaintiff's electric bills at a rate in excess of the actual costs." When she could not pay the inflated bill, she says, Garth cut off her electricity.

The woman claims she had to put her account in her landlord's name, but Garth harassed the landlord so he would put the account back in her own name.

She sued Garth and his bonding companies, Berkley Surety Group and Old Republic Surety Co.

The plaintiff is represented by Jim Waide of Tupelo, Miss.

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