In a compelling legal battle, an employee has taken her fight against workplace discrimination to the federal court. On February 26, 2026, Caleah Boykin-White filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Arizona against Pinal County Adult Probation. The lawsuit alleges that she faced racial discrimination and retaliation in her role as an Adult Probation Officer.
Caleah Boykin-White, an African American woman residing in Florence, Arizona, has been employed with Pinal County Adult Probation since July 22, 2022. Her complaint details a series of racially charged incidents and retaliatory actions by coworkers and supervisors that have created a hostile work environment. According to the filing, on February 21, 2023, Boykin-White overheard receptionist Krystal Villar using a racial slur during a personal conversation. This was followed by additional derogatory remarks made by Villar on April 20 and September 5 of the same year. Despite reporting these incidents to her supervisors, including Matthew Hemelstrand and John Fuery, no meaningful action was taken to address her concerns.
The plaintiff’s formal complaint on January 5, 2024, highlighted the racially insensitive remarks and toxic work environment she endured. However, her supervisors downplayed her concerns. In one instance, Chief Probation Officer John Fuery trivialized her complaints by stating that “not all people are racist; sometimes they are just assholes.” This dismissive attitude only served to exacerbate the hostile environment.
In response to her complaints of racial hostility and discriminatory conduct, Boykin-White received a formal written reprimand on January 8, 2025. The reprimand cited six incidents which were either mischaracterized or entirely false according to Boykin-White. She asserts that many allegations were based on hearsay or unverifiable claims and denies making certain statements attributed to her during workplace discussions.
The timing of this reprimand is particularly telling; it came shortly after Boykin-White’s complaints about racial hostility were lodged. The disciplinary action lacked prior warnings or investigations into alleged incidents dating back as far as January 2024. Notably absent was any similar discipline for colleagues who engaged in comparable conduct but instead faced no repercussions or were even promoted.
Boykin-White’s lawsuit underscores how Pinal County Adult Probation failed to take prompt remedial action despite being aware of the hostile work environment she faced. Her experiences align with legal precedents under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which prohibits employment discrimination based on race and retaliation against employees engaging in protected activities such as opposing discriminatory practices.
The plaintiff seeks not only removal of the written reprimand from her record but also monetary compensation amounting to $16,000 for emotional distress caused by ongoing discriminatory and retaliatory conduct at work.
Representing herself in this case is Caleah Boykin-White while Pinal County Adult Probation will need legal representation moving forward as they face these serious allegations within Case ID: CV-26-1347-PHX-MTM before Judge MTM presiding over proceedings at District Court level.
Source: 226cv01347_Boykin_White_v_Pinal_County_Adult_Probation_Complaint_District_Arizona.pdf
