Read the Full Complaint Ref: Dennis B. Reynolds vs Donald L.

https://augustafreepress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/FiledReynoldsComplaint.pdf

Court: U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia, Harrisonburg Division
Case: Dennis B. Reynolds v. Sheriff Donald L. Smith
Filed: May 14, 2025
Case Number: 5:25-cv-00044
Status: Pending

Overview

Former Augusta County Sheriff’s Deputy Dennis Blake Reynolds has filed a federal lawsuit against Sheriff Donald L. Smith, accusing the sheriff of violating his constitutional and workplace rights, retaliating against him after he sought medical help, and damaging his law enforcement career through false public statements.

The 109-page complaint includes claims under federal civil rights laws, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, and Virginia’s Human Rights Act. Reynolds also brings a state-law claim for defamation.

He is seeking compensation for lost wages, emotional distress, and harm to his reputation, as well as punitive damages and a court order declaring Sheriff Smith’s conduct unlawful.

Reynolds served as a deputy with the Augusta County Sheriff’s Office from 2016 to 2023, earning promotion to the agency’s K-9 unit and maintaining a clean disciplinary record.

According to the lawsuit, Sheriff Smith:

• Ordered Reynolds to delete evidence during a 2021 Virginia State Police investigation involving Reynolds’s brother;
   
• Sent hundreds of personal and sexually suggestive text messages to Reynolds while serving as his superior;
   
• Retaliated after Reynolds disclosed he had a tumor on his spine and was struggling with depression and anxiety;
   
• Suspended him when he refused to sign what he believed were false disciplinary documents; and
   
• Filed a false decertification notice with the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) and Brady letters accusing Reynolds of dishonesty—actions that made it nearly impossible for him to find another law enforcement job.
   

Reynolds says his health issues were legitimate and documented, including a serious spinal condition that required medical procedures and time off.
Instead of offering help or medical leave, the sheriff’s office allegedly punished him for taking “mental health days.”
The lawsuit claims this violated both the ADA, which protects workers with disabilities, and the FMLA, which guarantees eligible employees unpaid leave for serious health conditions.

In July 2023, after being suspended for over a month, Reynolds says he was forced to resign under threat of termination.
He submitted a resignation letter stating he was “forced to resign” and maintained his innocence.
That same day, Sheriff Smith reported him to the DCJS for decertification, labeling him untrustworthy.

In January 2024, the Virginia Criminal Justice Services Board unanimously overturned Sheriff Smith’s decertification request, finding:

• The allegations were based only on a sick leave dispute,
   
• Reynolds had genuine mental health concerns, and
   
• There was no evidence of dishonesty or misconduct.
   

Despite being cleared, the complaint says Smith continued sending Brady letters to other agencies—official notices that flag credibility concerns about officers—causing further damage to Reynolds’s reputation and career prospects.

This lawsuit highlights broader issues about mental health stigma and abuse of authority within law enforcement.
It raises questions about:

• How far a sheriff’s personal power can go in disciplining or discrediting deputies;
   
• Whether police departments are following federal laws protecting employees with disabilities or medical needs; and
   
• How decertification and Brady letters can be misused as retaliation tools rather than legitimate accountability measures.
   

If successful, Reynolds’s case could strengthen legal protections for law enforcement officers who face discrimination, retaliation, or personal misconduct from superiors.