Nassau County sued by 3 women alleging civil rights violations involving ex-corrections officer

A former Nassau County correction officer made romantic overtures to three women using personal information he had access to as part of the intake process to visit inmates in lockup, three multimillion-dollar lawsuits filed in federal court this year show.

The women, Lisarose Potts, Michelle Miranda and Mayra Nunez, all of Nassau County, said John Barber, who retired in February 2025, paid them unwanted attention and got their phone numbers through the jail visitor log.

Barber, who denied knowledge of the lawsuits, declined to comment when reached by phone on Tuesday.

The women are suing Nassau County, Sheriff Anthony LaRocca and Barber for civil rights violations, including unlawful search and seizure and violations of the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act. They’re also suing the sheriff and the county for a pattern of negligence in failing to train and supervise correction officers properly.

Potts and Miranda are seeking $3 million in damages and attorneys fees. Nunez is seeking $6 million in damages and attorneys fees.

A spokesman for the sheriff and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declined to comment, other than saying Barber is no longer employed there.

Potts said in court papers the ex-jail guard reached out to her after she visited her incarcerated fiance é on Sept. 26, 2024.

She said he came up to her after she visited the East Meadow facility and told her "he needed to discuss important information" with her and set up a meeting during his break at the Green Turtle, a nearby bar.

Potts said in her lawsuit she felt compelled to meet with him, thinking the rendezvous had something to do with her fiance or something to do with her visit.

When she got to the bar parking lot, according to the suit, Barber told her he couldn’t be seen in the bar and that they should talk in his car.

Potts said at first Barber chatted about her fiance in jail and said he had known him for over 20 years, an assertion that she said in court papers was false.

"Suddenly and without warning, Barber attempted to kiss [Potts] on the lips," she said in her suit.

She was able to turn her head to avoid the kiss and quickly changed the subject, leaving the car as quickly as she could, she said.

He told her to keep the meeting from her fiance, which she said in court papers she did, fearing retaliation by Barber against him.

Potts said she feared for her safety and the safety of her fiance because Barber had access to visitor logs with her home address and phone numbers.

Michelle Miranda, who also visited her boyfriend in September 2024, said in a separate federal lawsuit she had a similar experience.

She said at a Sept. 10 visit to the jail, Barber told her she looked beautiful and that he wanted to contact her outside the lockup.

Though she had not given him her phone number, Barber called Miranda on her cellphone and messaged her on the WhatsApp program on her phone, she said.

Nunez said he texted her on Oct. 31, 2024, though she also said she never shared her personal number with him.

"Hi Mayra, this is John Barber, please only use this app to reply back to me. I missed your visit today, by the way, I think you’re very beautiful," Barber texted, according to the suit.

She said she ignored the message, but he texted again the next day.

"I hope this message reaches you," he wrote, according to Nunez’s account. Again, she said she ignored him.

All three women said Barber’s advances gave them nightmares and caused them to fear for their safety and the safety of their boyfriends.

Despite their reservations, Potts, Nunez and Miranda said they all reached out to Nassau County jail’s internal affairs investigators about Barber. According to the lawsuit, they were told investigators were aware "he used visitor’s system information to gain access to the personal information of female visitors."

Barber also made similar overtures toward female inmates, according to the suit.