A Palmyra resident, Tracye Russell, has initiated a lawsuit against Wayne County, its sheriff’s office, and Sheriff Rob Milby, alleging she was subjected to sexual and physical assault during a strip search at the Wayne County Jail in December 2022.
The legal action, undertaken by the Levy Konigsberg law firm, accuses the authorities of mistreatment during Russell’s weekend jail sentence, which began on December 16, 2022, according to reporting by the Finger Lakes Times.
According to the lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court, Russell claims she was forcibly removed from her cell for a second strip search based on another inmate’s accusation of drug possession. The search allegedly involved Russell being thrown to the ground, her clothes cut off, pepper-sprayed, and then assaulted, with the officers conducting the search not finding any drugs.
Despite the traumatic experience and severe pain from the pepper spray, Russell alleges she received no immediate relief and was returned to her cell until her release.
The case is now pending a response from Wayne County, with legal representatives and Sheriff Milby currently refraining from commenting on the allegations.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].