Despite a cease and desist letter issued by a lawyer for Karma Box Project founder and executive director Grant Denton, who also trains people in recovery, a former girlfriend and personal trainer, decided to speak out against him at a Washoe County Board of Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, saying he was unfit for helping vulnerable people.
She read her prepared statement before the County Commission decided whether or not to amend the contract awarded to the Karma Box Project to operate its mod pod safe camp, authorizing an increase in the amount of $1.2 million for a total not to exceed $1.8 million for the July 2024 to June 2025 period for staffing purposes.
An additional statement by a man active in the local recovery space both as an employee and as a board member which was read by another community member indicated that Grant Denton has had in his words “a negative impact, particularly on women in the community.”
That statement said Denton’s actions include allegedly “making demeaning and derogatory comments, courting women in the very early stages of their sobriety, and fat-shaming them. Such behavior is not only deeply disrespectful and harmful but also completely unacceptable for someone in a position of leadership and trust within our community.”
The statement called for “appropriate action … to ensure a safe, respectful, and supportive environment for all individuals, particularly those who are most vulnerable.”
After the two statements, Washoe County Chief Deputy District Attorney Mary Kandaras said the county was “aware of some of the allegations and they will be, they are being reviewed by management. In the meantime, I would like to say that if you believe you are the victim of a crime then things should be reported to law enforcement.”
She added “the county has very robust policy in how to handle allegations of harassment and it will be handled according to law and policy.”
The former girlfriend went to a Reno police station a few weeks ago, wanting to file a temporary protection order, but after being told of possible ramifications, instead was given a security camera for her safety.
During public comment on the Karma Box item, one commenter called for the new contract to be suspended, while a lawyer for Denton, Cody Marriott for Silver State Law, who had previously sent the cease and desist letter, said Denton and Karma Box were not the same, so that the new contract should be awarded.
“We welcome an investigation to clear up Mr. Denton’s name and absolve his reputation on the matter,” he said.
“While it is no secret that I am not a perfect man, I vehemently deny the allegations,” Denton wrote to us by email. “I also look forward to a swift investigation into the allegations, the people who made them, and the people/entities who assisted/encouraged these individuals into making the false allegations. As everyone in this community is aware, I have worked tirelessly over the past decade to become a better man and help this community move forward.”
Commissioner Mariluz Garcia called the allegations a “curveball,” but along with Commissioner Alexis Hill pushed to go ahead with a vote to approve the new contract for Karma Box, along with other updated agreements with RISE and Volunteers of America, which all passed. Commissioner Mike Clark had said the updated Karma Box contract should have been separated and put on hold until an investigation is carried out, and voted no.
As part of a statement which she previously sent to Our Town Reno, the former girlfriend indicated she met Denton in February 2023 when he made a presentation at the Reps4Recovery location on Kietzke Lane, as part of their Sunday speaker series. She said she was looking for a supportive sober community after her previous boyfriend who suffered from addiction challenges had passed away.
The personal trainer said she exchanged numbers with Denton with the intention that she would assess his shoulder pain, which is one of her specialties, before they started a tumultuous on and off relationship lasting until April.
She says she believes Denton uses his position and many contacts in the community to take advantage of vulnerable women. The former girlfriend also makes other damning allegations, spanning conduct in the personal, family, work and relationship spheres.
She says Denton would put calls on speaker phone to county officials to intimidate her with his local network, which she says has made it difficult for herself and others to speak out.
Since their breakup, she says she’s been afraid to go to Reno Behavioral Health where her insurance referred her for therapy due to his presence there, with a so-called karma box on site, and a page on their website praising him, indicating “Denton has dedicated his life to the homeless and those in recovery.”
She says she has also avoided gyms where she was contracted to be in on days Denton was present despite some of the days being in her contract.
As she concluded making her statement Tuesday, she broke down in tears.
The former girlfriend recently emailed her concerns about Denton to Commissioner Clark, suggesting other people to contact as well concerning his alleged misconduct. Clark then copied the email to Washoe County management, including those in charge of homelessness services and indicated in part, that her comments were “uncomfortable, difficult to read.”
In her email, she wrote: “I am a victim of Grant Denton. I am unable to even get protection in my case due to his platform and political backing, I am asking for a chance to have my story heard. I am relocating due to safety issues regarding him. I know commissioners play a big role in allowing projects/programs in the community. I am advocating, for good reason, to have him removed from venues with vulnerable women and children.”
In the email, the former girlfriend also pointed to previous domestic violence charges against him found on the internet, which date back to April 2011, in Clark County, with a charge then listed as “domestic battery - 2nd offense.” Looking at those records, a felony offense date listed in June and filed in September of that year is described as “Battery Domestic Violence 3rd.”
Denton who grew up in what he has described as an abusive Mormon family and church, faced multiple charges in Las Vegas, and was incarcerated several times, while being a meth and heroin addict, before he says he turned his life around, became sober and came to Reno with a mission to help those living on the streets and in addiction recovery in northern Nevada.
Several local advocates for the unhoused have previously complained Denton was being verbally abusive towards them while they tried to organize community meals near the Cares Campus, and also alleged they saw him being overly confrontational with unhoused people in front of them. Some have shared commentary concerning some of these difficult interactions via text messages.
Before the former girlfriend even received the cease and desist letter, an employee at the Nevada Department of Taxation warned her she would be getting it. She says she felt this warning was a form of intimidation to prevent her further from speaking out.
In the letter she eventually did receive emailed to her May 25th and dated May 24, sent by Marriott from Silver State Law, in which her name is misspelled, Denton is described as a “well-respected member of the community” who has “spent the last decade working to improve the lives of the disenfranchised.”
It states in footnotes his relationship with her “can only be described as casual,” which she says can be proven otherwise with past text messages from Denton.
The letter alleges that she has made “several untrue statements” and that her actions constitute “stalking, harassment, slander, libel, intentional interference with contractual relations, and defamations per se,” all of which she denies.
The former girlfriend says what she is sharing with the community is based on her experiences with Denton, and that it’s for the benefit of all, denying all accusations listed in the cease and desist letter.