First Fair Housing Civil Rights Enforcement Action in Oklahoma

Chris Thrutchley		Tracie Calvin

On August 4, 2021, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma recovered $1.25 million in a fair housing civil rights lawsuit against companies owned by a Del City area landlord, Walter Ray Pelfrey. Pelfrey was accused of preying upon, sexually assaulting, and sexually harassing more than 40 African American female tenants and prospective tenants and demanding sexual favors in exchange for housing.

GableGotwals Shareholder and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Employment & Labor Practice, Chris Thrutchley, launched and oversaw the investigation of the victims’ complaints and filed the state’s first-ever fair housing civil rights enforcement action to bring Pelfrey to justice and recover relief for the victims during his tenure as the Chief of the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office of Civil Rights Enforcement. Thrutchley’s historic fair housing civil rights lawsuit ultimately resulted in the federal action that secured $1.25 million for the victims and their families.

“The trauma these victims suffered simply to provide a safe home for their families can’t be cured by money, but I’m proud of the monumental work of our civil rights team that led to the vindication of these women and their families.” GableGotwals’ Employment & Labor paralegal, Tracie Calvin, also served on Thrutchley’s Civil Rights Enforcement Unit that launched this enforcement action.