A former Pittston police chief is suing the city and Mayor Jason Klush, saying they retaliated against him for reporting another officer's misconduct.

Jeffrey Tayoun, now a sergeant with the department, said he was demoted and harassed after reporting an officer to the Attorney General's Office for taking "46 photos of a nude woman in various sexual acts while she was unconscious," according to a complaint filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court.

In October 2009, the suit says, Tayoun "blew the whistle on Police Officer Robert Joseph Semyon for police misconduct."

Semyon was caught and charged with aggravated indecent assault and related charges after the lewd photos were found on a police department computer, according to The Citizens' Voice archive. He eventually pleaded guilty and agreed to a sentencing agreement that put him in prison for 1-2 years.

The incident, Tayoun said in the suit, was "a matter of great public concern since society demands that police officers be stripped of their power if they commit crimes, especially ones of a sexual nature against innocent, unknowing, unconscious female victims."

Since reporting Semyon, though, Tayoun said he was stripped of his position as police chief and forced to use Semyon's old locker in the station.

The city and Klush then, according to the suit, "continued their campaign of harassment" against Tayoun in a number of ways, including:

The lawsuit asks that Klush and the city make a proclamation saying "officers who report other police officers for misconduct will not be retaliated against," provide letters of good reference and pay him for lost wages, punitive damages, emotional distress, attorney fees and costs, pre- and post-interest and delay damages.

Phone message left with both Tayoun and Klush were not returned Wednesday evening.

psweet@citizensvoice.com, 570-763-9704

@PatSweet