Denver Approves $100,000 Settlement For Firefighter Who Found Hidden Camera In Her Room
DENVER (CBS4) - The Denver City Council approved a $100,000 settlement agreement with a local firefighter who found hidden camera planted in her firehouse bedroom in 2019. Former Denver Fire Department Lt. Daniel Flesner was found guilty in the case in October 2020 and sentenced to two years probation.
Flesner was convicted of criminal invasion of privacy and attempt to commit tampering with physical evidence. As part of his sentence, the judge ordered him to complete moral recognition therapy and a mental health screening. If he violates any of those conditions, he could spend time in prison.
The $100,000 settlement is part of a civil action lawsuit filed against the city and Denver Fire Department. The victim testified in the trial against Flesner and said she experienced "complete panic" after finding the concealed camera.
"I was really scared," said the fire department technician, as she recalled finding the camera after hearing it emit audio. The hidden, motion-activated camera was disguised as a phone charger and was plugged into an outlet in the woman's bedroom.
Flesner resigned from the department shortly after the camera was found. His attorney's issued the following statement to CBS4:
"Dan Flesner has been an honored firefighter for the City and County of Denver for over 27
years. He had a storied, honorable, heroic career, including volunteering in New York at ground
zero in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks on 9/11. He had a spotless career as a firefighter
and had never had any suggestion along the way that during his career he indulged in any type
of gender discrimination.A lack of good judgment coupled with a terribly bad joke cost Mr. Flesner his career and much
of his firefighter reputation. After a weeklong jury trial, he was acquitted of any sexual intention
related to his actions and acquitted of tampering with evidence. The jury heard testimony from
a forensic technology expert who completed a thorough review of all of Mr. Flesner's electronic
devices and found that there was no evidence he deleted any data, including the singular
subject video.The city chose to pay the woman firefighter involved in this case $100,000.00. During the
course of the trial all efforts to determine if the female firefighter had a financial motivation,
which would tend to bias her testimony, were blocked from the jurors' consideration. Her
attorneys and the district attorney kept the jury form hearing the evidence.Mr. Flesner had no sexual intention or motive in his actions. He apologized for his misbehavior.
He loved his job, he cherished his fellow fire persons, and reiterates his work as a firefighter
was never motivated by money but rather public service.Finally, it is somewhat remarkable that the city attorney's office chose to promote this
settlement without ever talking to Mr. Flesner. Likewise, the attorneys for the beneficiary of
$100,000.00 have filed another lawsuit against Mr. Flesner, perhaps a vendetta, perhaps
double-dipping. Time will tell."