A St. Louis landlord who allegedly sexually harassed numerous tenants now faces a lawsuit from the federal government.In a complaint filed Wednesday in federal court, the Department of Justice alleged that Hezekiah Webb of subjecting his tenants to unwelcome touching, comments about their bodies, questions about their sexual partners, "gestures indicating his sexual arousal"— and offering to reduce rent in exchange for sex.
Webb, who lives in Illinois, owns nine units of rental housing in north city's Penrose neighborhood. He operated them along with Jameseva Webb, who is also being sued but is not personally accused of any harassment.
The government's lawsuit details the story of Shakhari Bell, who moved into one of the Webbs' units in February 2012 under a year's lease — but moved out just four months later after enduring what the Justice Department says was "severe, pervasive and unwelcome sexual harassment."…