In the past, David Yocom has said he didn't charge Floros because "there was no allegation of criminal wrongdoing," but Salt Lake criminal attorney Craig Snyder, who represented Gary Gilmore and other high-profile defendants, said the allegations in the woman's notice of claim — a precursor to the suit — constitute sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor, and forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.

"If that kind of conduct occurred in our office and some female employee complained about it, it's something that should be reported to the police," Snyder said.

In the suit, the woman alleges that Floros harassed her physically and sexually, touching her breasts and buttocks, pressuring her to have sex with him in various ways, exposing himself, rubbing himself against her and various other acts.

It also alleges that Floros answered her rejections by denying her a raise, denying her time off, belittling her and other actions.

The suit alleges that Floros had a history of harassing and belittling employees before County Clerk Sherrie Swensen hired him, and that Swensen knew — in fact, had been warned in writing — of that behavior.

Floros declined comment, as did Swensen, who referred any inquiries to Yocom.

According to two women who worked in the surveyor's office under Floros in the mid- to late 1980s, he has a history that other officials ignored.

Before the alleged events in the lawsuit, Shaunna Sanderseld and Dena Savas say, Floros intimidated and harassed them — screaming at them, slamming doors, even going to Sanderseld's house and harassing her there. They say their complaints to Yocom's office and Floros' superior went unheeded.

"I witnessed very negative treatment toward other employees, male and female," said Sanderseld, who worked in the recordation division of the surveyor's office. "I am surprised that the county has allowed it to go on as long as it did and that they did nothing when I complained. I was constantly being counseled by people to drop it — it was clearly a case of working the victim over and not the perpetrator. (Floros) was very close to Yocom and Karl Larsen (the surveyor at the time) and all those guys and they'd drink together and I knew nothing would be done."

"(Floros) really began to make our lives miserable," said Savas, who worked in the office with Sanderseld. "He was intimidating, mean, sneaky, he took every opportunity to embarrass and intimidate us. . . . Why did they allow that?

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E-mail: aedwards@desnews.com