YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A former Assistant United States Attorney Mark Bennett is facing possible disbarment or other sanctions over accusations of sexual harassment of an intern. That intern was once stationed in Youngstown. The accusations are currently being reviewed by the Board of Professional Conduct of the Ohio Supreme Court.

On the third floor of the PNC Building on E. Federal is the Youngstown office of the United States Attorney. According to an ethics complaint before the disciplinary council, an intern came to this office to escape sexual harassment she experienced in Akron at the hands of a then-assistant U.S. attorney.

The complaint filed in Aug. outlines the harassment of an unnamed intern. The complaint alleges Bennett asked the then 24-year-old intern for nude photographs, offered to buy her clothing from Victoria’s Secret and touched the intern’s breasts with the back of his hand while maintaining eye contact.

A reply from Bennett’s attorney filed on Sept. 6 confirms these allegations.

In his reply, Bennett said he “believed that he and {the intern} were engaging in flirtation that was mutually acceptable but now understands he was mistaken in that regard and accepts responsibility that his conduct as described…was inappropriate and unprofessional and…is remorseful for his conduct as well as any offense or harm….”

This phrase and other very similar expressions of remorse are repeated at least 11 times in the eight-page reply by Bennett’s attorney Richard Koblentz.

Koblentz declined to comment on specifics of the case but did walk through the disciplinary process.

Currently, a three-person panel has been assigned to evaluate the ethics complaint.

“The panel then basically acts as the trial judge of the matter…the panel then makes a report to the full board, if the panel unanimously decides — the three members of the panel to dismiss the matter. It’s over with,” said Koblentz.

If the complaint is not dismissed then the panel will make a recommendation of sanctions to the Ohio Supreme Court, which the justices can accept, reject or amend.

“A sanction which can go from a public reprimand, which is a written reprimand to time suspension, which can be six months, 12 months, 18 months or 24 months. That can either be fully or partially stayed and the court can put conditions on that,” said Koblentz.

The most serious sanction is indefinite suspension.

“You’re suspended indefinitely, but you have to wait at least two years in order to apply for reinstatement. If you do that, you then have to go through another trial before the board of professional conduct,” said Koblentz.

An attorney’s license to practice law can possibly be reinstated if they show the “requisite character and fitness” needed to practice law.

You can read the entire complaint from the intern and the response from the former federal prosecutor here.