Man ticketed by Fairview Heights police seeks $15 million claiming sex discrimination

A man alleging sex discrimination in a suit against the Fairview Heights Police Department is seeking more than $15 million in damages.

Brian Ferguson alleges he was pulled over and issued a ticket for expired plates on March 16. The same officer pulled over his friend while he was riding in a car with her on May 3, according to the complaint filed Aug. 26 in St. Clair County Circuit Court. However, the friend was not issued a ticket, the suit states.

Ferguson contends that because his friend was a woman who had friends in the police department and courthouse, she was not given a ticket.

Following the incident, Ferguson wrote letters to the courthouse, the complaint says. Since then, he claims he has been harassed. For example, police follow him, according to the complaint. In addition, police officers pulled into a gas station where Ferguson was parked, then followed him for a half-mile, the suit states.

Ferguson wrote three different letters to the courthouse, complaining of the way he has been treated by Fairview Heights police, the suit states. In his second letter, Ferguson questions why police are allegedly able to have sex and drink while on duty and why military personnel can supposedly have sex with minors and still get away with it. He also questions the expectations of females versus males.

"Mothers still can do whatever they want to," Ferguson writes. "They still can get away with kidnapping while fathers still suffer. Fathers are ordered to pay back child support. Why can't mothers be ordered to pay back visitation?"

In his letters, Ferguson expresses his frustration of not receiving a reply.

"I'm wondering why my letters haven't been investigated and why I'm being taken as a joke?" he wrote.

Ferguson seeks $15 million.

He will be appearing pro se.

The case number is St. Clair County Circuit Court case 14-L-612.