Fireman: Innocent of sexual pestering

An Alexander firefighter on Monday pleaded innocent to a charge accusing him of sexually harassing one of his employees.

Greg Maynard, 29, entered the plea in Alexander District Court on Monday, and a trial date was set for March 19. Maynard surrendered to authorities Nov. 18 and was charged with harassment, a Class A misdemeanor.

Maynard, who is out on bond, is accused of asking one of his employees about her sex life at work and gossiping about the subject to other firefighters.

ADVERTISEMENT

More headlines

On Oct. 24, then-Assistant Fire Chief William Blankenship “received a tip” from employees that Maynard, a lieutenant, was purportedly harassing a 19-year old female firefighter.

According to witness statements to police, Maynard would ask about the employee’s sex life at work, at one point telling her to “go ahead and give it [sex] to him.”

He continued asking despite repeated requests to stop, the employee told police.

The employee told investigators that the harassment began a few months after she started working at the department early last year.

A few times, the victim said, Maynard would call her near the end of her shift and ask to meet up, when he would ask for a kiss. The employee said she wouldn’t kiss him, but a few months later, Maynard would wake her up, turning on the light in the firehouse and screaming her name “as loud as he could,” she told police.

“If I was to ignore him, he would just say my name over and over again,” she said, adding that the comments became a daily thing.

The employee said Maynard would also pop her bra strap and once touched her.

Maynard had taken “private video” of the employee dancing to a song and showed it to another fireman, according to witness statements.

In an interview with police, Maynard admitted to asking the employee about her personal life and hitting her in the butt and grunting as she walked up the stairs at the Fire Department, according to the arrest affidavit.

“While in the dayroom it was a possibility that Mr. Maynard pulled up the victim’s shirt, but he could not recall at this time,” the affidavit states. “There have been time(s) where he popped her bra, but he could not recall if the bra came undone.”

He also admitted to opening the door as the employee showered but said he never touched her, the affidavit states.

Maynard was placed on administrative leave without pay shortly after his arrest.

Arkansas, Pages 10 on 01/14/2014

Upcoming Events