A Western Massachusetts judge is being accused in a federal lawsuit of forcing a woman to perform a sex act on him.
Thomas Estes had been the presiding judge in Eastern Hampshire District Court, but was pulled from the bench last year and restricted to a non-bench position in Holyoke District Court without an explanation from court officials.
The complaint was filed this week by Tammy Cagle, who alleges the incident happened in November 2016 at the Belchertown District Court building.
Cagle, a woman who had previously worked for a client advocacy group, had a sexual encounter with Estes when alcohol was a factor several days beforehand, according to the complaint.
His Attorney David Hoose says he looks forward to proving his client's innocence and that Cagle was fired for other reasons and that those reasons had nothing to do with him.