The city of Oakland is once again under potential legal scrutiny as a former employee threatens to sue over serious allegations of harassment and misconduct within the Department of Violence Prevention (DVP). This marks the second case after the city settled without admission of liability. Similar allegations were made last year by the department’s former deputy chief of DVP, Dr. Sarai Crain.
The disturbing accounts of the former female employees are outlined in two demand letters that were sent to Oakland mayor, city council, and the city attorney’s office. They describe a toxic culture within the DVP involving sexual harassment, gender discrimination, unequal pay, and retaliation. One of the letters, names and accuses several city employees of perpetuating a hostile work environment and a female deputy chief of mistreating and discriminating against Black women staffers. The NBC Bay Area Investigative Unit reached out to the named employees for comment, but no one agreed to discuss the allegations on record -- some no longer work for the city of Oakland.
Crain, who for 18 months served as deputy chief of gender-based violence for the DVP, alleges she faced relentless mistreatment at the hands of her boss, former chief of the DVP, Guillermo Cespedes. She claims Cespedes engaged in humiliating, bullying, and harassing behavior, often retaliating against those who challenged his authority. Crain filed a formal complaint with the city in 2022, leading to a swift settlement of over $260,000 in her favor.
Candace Reese Walters, who was brought in as a public information officer for the DVP in 2022, following Crain’s complaint, says she quickly noticed signs of the same misconduct from Cespedes, who was now her boss. She recounts a disturbing incident when she claims Cespedes attempted to kiss her, leading her to report her experience to city officials and file federal equal employment and whistleblower complaints. In her letter, she also accuses Cespedes of sexually pursuing her, asking her out repeatedly, texting and emailing her frequently at night and on weekends.
The demand letter also describes a time when Walters says Cespedes described the love for his daughter by saying, “I never knew what it felt to love a woman without taking my pants off.” Crain alleges that Cespedes once told her he was happy he did not have to "give blow jobs in the backseat of a car" for employment, according to her demand letter.
In response to these allegations, a representative for Guillermo Cespedes sent the Investigative Unit a statement vehemently denying the claims, labeling them as "absurd and entirely without merit." The statement suggested that Walters was following the same playbook as Crain and criticized the Oakland City Council for approving settlements without completing thorough investigations.
The representative also provided a letter, purportedly from the City of Oakland, stating that the city’s Employment Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance Department investigation into Crain's allegations found them to be “unsubstantiated.” The City of Oakland has not yet responded to requests to verify this letter.
According to his resignation letter, in February, nearly a year after Crain's initial complaint, Cespedes resigned from his position without admitting any guilt. Soon after, Walters says, just one day before the end of her probationary period, she was terminated, citing her role as a "temporary appointment." Walters contends that her firing was a classic case of retaliation.
Walters is asking for $500,000 for back pay, front pay, emotional distress, and attorney fees. She says she is still waiting on a response from the City of Oakland and emphasizes the importance of community involvement in demanding action from elected officials.
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On the other hand, in their response, a representative for Cespedes also noted that Walters had made similar workplace accusations against her former government employer in Dougherty County, Georgia in 2019. We reached out to Dougherty County, but never heard back. Walters confirmed previous claims against Dougherty County, but says they were only for unpaid overtime for her work as a contractor. She also added that Cespedes, became aware of this past claim during her interview process with the DVP, before deciding to hire her.
Crain has moved on to work as a sexual assault evidence coordinator for the attorney general's office. Despite potential risks to her own career, she believes that the community deserves to know the truth about the DVP's leadership.
“How can you expect real change when the individuals that are being paid to enact it are perpetuating it against its own vulnerable people?” Crain said.
The Department of Violence Prevention, established in 2017, has seen significant growth in its budget and staff. However, no representatives from the department, the City of Oakland, or the City's Administrator's Office have been willing to comment or provide their perspective on these allegations on the record. The City Attorney's Office has offered "no comment" but confirmed an ongoing investigation into Walters' allegations.
Demand letters from Candace Reese Walters and Dr. Sarai Crain addressed to the Oakland mayor, city council, and the city attorney’s office can be viewed below.
