By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

COLUMBIANA – A 32-year-old former Shelby County Department of Human Resources employee who is facing charges alleging he threatened to take a woman’s children away if she didn’t perform sex acts on him is set for trial in April, according to court documents filed this month.

Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Dan Reeves issued a scheduling order on Feb. 2 setting an April 18 trial date for Pelham resident Brandon Howard Daniel. The case is set for a pretrial hearing on Feb. 29, and is set for a plea hearing on April 5. All hearings will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the Shelby County Courthouse.

Daniel has pleaded not guilty to charges of soliciting for the purpose of influencing official action, indecent exposure, harassment and third-degree theft of property after he was arraigned on the charges in late January.

Soliciting for the purpose of influencing official action is a Class B felony, and carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison if convicted.

According to his indictments, Daniel, while serving as a DHR employee in August 2013, allegedly told a female client “that if she would have sex with him that he would not take her children away from her.”

Daniel’s harassment charge came when he allegedly threatened to “remove the victim’s children away from her, with the intent to carry out the threat.” His burglary charge came when he allegedly stole a pillow case valued at $10 from the victim’s residence.

Daniel’s arrest came after Alabaster police said the victim filed a complaint claiming Daniel, her DHR case worker, had inappropriate sexual contact with her during a home visit in Alabaster.

On the morning of Aug. 22, 2013, Alabaster and Columbiana officers and Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputies closed off access to the Shelby County DHR office in Columbiana while police searched the building. Police charged Daniel with the crimes on the afternoon of Aug. 22, and he posted bonds totaling $40,000 the same day.

In August 2014, G. Courtney French of the Fuston, Petway and French law firm filed a lawsuit on behalf of a female DHR client tied to the incident outlined in Daniel’s criminal charges. The lawsuit names Daniel, Shelby County DHR supervisor Rasheda Gulley and Shelby County DHR Director Kim Mashego as defendants.

The woman who filed the lawsuit is seeking a monetary award. A status conference on the lawsuit is set for May 3.