Clinton postpones event with Biden after Dallas shooting

Marquee event of World Series of Poker set to start in Vegas

ALLENTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A juvenile probation officer illegally prolonged a woman's supervision in a bid to seduce her after she turned 18, she said in a federal lawsuit. That Northampton County officer, 32-year-old Ryan Wasser, is already awaiting trial on criminal charges accusing him of compelling the woman to exchange nude pictures with him and threatening to "send her away" if she didn't. Wasser, of Nazareth, is scheduled for trial in October on charges of obstructing the administration of law and official oppression, which alleges he abused his government power. County officials haven't commented on the lawsuit filed Thursday in Allentown. Wasser's criminal defense attorney, Phillip Lauer, said Friday that he doesn't know whether Wasser has an attorney to defend the lawsuit but that he'll advise Wasser not to comment because the allegations relate to his criminal charges. The plaintiff contends Wasser and the county didn't review her for release from probation when she turned 18, allowing Wasser to continue to "exert power and leverage over her." The woman met Wasser in 2010 when she was 14 and first placed in the juvenile court system after she was charged with fighting with her sister. Wasser supervised her for six months and resumed in 2012 after she ran away to Florida with her boyfriend. Wasser had her incarcerated at the county juvenile detention center but visited her regularly and promised to help get her into a foster home, the lawsuit said. Wasser continued supervising her even after she turned 18 and moved into an apartment, the lawsuit said. That's when Wasser began visiting her at night, inquiring about her sex life and making physical contact, the lawsuit said. Wasser, then also a high school wrestling coach, invited her to travel with him to a tournament and stay in his hotel room in 2015, the lawsuit said. He also requested they have sex, sent nude pictures of himself and ordered her to stop seeing her boyfriend or he would send her away, the lawsuit said. In Pennsylvania, juvenile courts and probation officers can have jurisdiction over someone until they turn 21. Wasser was criminally charged last year. At that time, District Attorney John Morganelli told reporters it was illegal for Wasser to try to have sex with the woman even after she turned 18 "because he had control and power over her freedom, essentially." The woman is seeking unspecified damages in her lawsuit, which accuses Wasser of sexual harassment, invasion of privacy and continuing to supervise her under false pretenses.

Lawsuit: Woman claims probation officer tried to seduce her