Owners, managers of 2 Westlake apartment buildings accused of sexually harassing female tenants

WESTLAKE DISTRICT, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- The managers and owners of two apartment buildings in the Westlake neighborhood of Los Angeles are being sued by the Justice Department for allegedly sexually harassing their female tenants for more than a decade.

In the lawsuit filed Monday, the federal agency claims that Filomeno Hernandez, Ramin Akhavan, Bonnie Brae Investment Services LLC, and Westlake Property Services LLC harassed the tenants since 2006.

Both properties - 729 S. Bonnie Brae St. and 720 S. Westlake Ave. - are located near MacArthur Park.

The complaint alleges that Hernandez frequently engaged in unwanted sexual touching and offered to reduce rent or excuse late or unpaid rent in exchange for sex, among other forms of harassment. He is also accused of entering the women's homes without their consent.

"Sexual harassment of vulnerable women is unacceptable, and we will not tolerate this behavior by any landlord or property manager," said Nick Hanna, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, in a press release.