White male worker accused of secretly recording Black female colleagues. Then a lawsuit came crashing down with explosive details
A question of accountability.
A federal lawsuit involving a Michigan produce packaging plant has revealed deeply disturbing allegations of workplace misconduct, including claims that a white male co-worker secretly recorded Black female employees in a restroom. The legal battle, which centers on Tiara Williams and her experiences as a grader at the Mastronardi Produce-USA facility in Livonia, highlights a toxic environment marked by persistent racial and sexual harassment and alleged retaliation by management.
The details emerging from the court filings are frankly shocking. According to the summary judgment by the court, Tiara Williams, who worked at the plant for years, claimed that a white co-worker identified as Billy Peterson, or William, was recording women in the restroom. When Williams and her sister, Diamond Williams, reported this to their shift manager, Johnny Galarza, they expected a swift response.
Instead, the complaint alleges that Galarza took the issue to human resources. Ultimately though, the co-worker faced no disciplinary action or meaningful repercussions. The incident highlights a flagrant disregard for the safety and privacy of employees. But it gets worse.
The harassment described in the lawsuit extends far beyond that single incident
Galarza is accused of subjecting Williams to a barrage of vulgar and intrusive questions regarding her personal life. According to the court documents, he allegedly asked her about her sexual preferences, including whether she enjoyed using “dildos” and if she liked to “get f—ked with the strap.”
In November 2022, Galarza reportedly called Williams on her personal cell phone when he knew her partner was away, questioning her about photos on her social media account. These actions represent a severe abuse of power that created an incredibly hostile workspace. The culture at the plant, as described in the lawsuit, seems to have been rampant with discriminatory behavior from multiple supervisors.
According to Atlanta Black Star, Galarza allegedly made homophobic and racially charged remarks in front of other employees, telling Williams he could not assign young Black women to work on her line. He also frequently mocked her when she attempted to report his behavior. When Williams threatened to go to HR, Galarza reportedly taunted her, saying, “Go ahead, I’ll call them for you,” and bragged that she could “join the list” of other employees who had already reported him.
The racial hostility extended to other management figures as well
Production manager Jeff Emberton allegedly made offensive comments about Black basketball players, claiming it was because “their knee grows,” a clear play on a racial slur. He also reportedly questioned why Black women had specific names like “LaTisha” and “LaQuanda.”
Another supervisor, Chris Felosak, allegedly told Williams he ate company-provided chicken just to “fit in with y’all,” confirming he was referring to Black people. Williams also alleges that supervisors and managers referred to her using slurs like “skinny Black bi–h” and “ghetto Black bi–h,” and even compared her to a monkey.
Despite her role as a supervisor, Williams claims she was compensated less than white supervisors in similar positions. The lawsuit paints a picture of a company where complaints were consistently ignored or met with retaliation. After reporting Galarza to a senior manager named Slim in December 2022, Williams was written up by Galarza the very next day.
While an HR investigation eventually removed the write-up, the harassment continued unabated. Williams was later transferred to an undesirable line in the plant, a move she contends was clear retaliation for her refusal to stay silent.
The legal journey for the Williams sisters has been complex
Initially, a lawsuit against the Canadian parent company, Mastronardi Produce, Ltd., was dismissed after the company argued that its operations were separate from the U.S. subsidiary. When Williams refiled against Mastronardi Produce-USA, the company tried to claim the lawsuit was a duplicate of the previous one, attempting to use the corporate structure to its advantage in both directions.
However, U.S. Circuit Judge John K. Bush recently reversed a lower court ruling that had blocked the case. Bush noted that the entities could not have it both ways. In a February 2026 opinion and order, U.S. District Judge Brandy R. McMillion granted Mastronardi Produce-USA’s motion for summary judgment in part. The judge dismissed the pure race discrimination claims because the court felt she hadn’t identified a sufficiently similar comparator.
Crucially, however, the judge allowed the claims of retaliation, hostile work environment, and gender and sexual harassment to proceed to a jury. The court ruled that genuine issues of material fact existed, meaning a jury will now have the final say on these serious allegations.
As the case moves forward, the parties are scheduled for a status conference on September 29 before U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson in Detroit. Williams is seeking compensatory and exemplary damages for lost earnings, mental anguish, and the loss of her professional reputation. Mastronardi Produce has maintained that it does not tolerate discrimination or harassment, but the evidence brought forward suggests a much darker reality for the workers at the Livonia plant.
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