Woman sues Tiffin judge, court and Seneca Co. Sheriff over wrongful drug test and jailing

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - The woman wrongfully jailed for refusing a drug test while observing a court hearing filed a law suit against those involved Friday.

Alexzandria Orta of Upper Sandusky was in a Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal courtroom on March 11 observing a drug court hearing for her boyfriend, when Judge Mark E. Repp demanded she take a drug test. When she refused, the judge held her in contempt and put her in handcuffs.

While being held by Seneca Co. Sheriff’s deputies, Orta was forced to take a pregnancy test and undergo body scans, the complaint said. Deputies accused Orta of concealing drugs inside her body.

She was released the following day after the Seneca County Prosecutor asked the judge to vacate the the contempt finding.

Judge Repp was suspended for one year by the Ohio Board of Professional Conduct, a penalty the Ohio Supreme Court affirmed in November.

The Tiffin-Fostoria Municipal Court is included in the lawsuit, as is Seneca Co. Sheriff Frederick W. Stevens, though the filing states Sheriff Stevens did no wrongdoing and was only being sued for his position within the Seneca County Sheriff’s Office.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Please include the title when you click here to report it.

Copyright 2022 WTVG. All rights reserved.