An Account, a Warning, and a Story About a System That Protected an Insider
This is one Woman's Account of Abuse by Grant Denton, Director of Karma Box, and Indifference from the Authorities when she tried to get help.
Jan 21, 2026
This article explains what Kimberly’s document “An Account Against Grant Denton” is, what it alleges, and how it should be understood.
The document was sent to me by Kimberly, and she asked me to tell the story. We talked about what happened. It was shocking. So I wrote the article.
This article does not attempt to verify the claims in the document. It does not presume guilt, innocence, or motive. I’m simply recounting the story in the document.
I have talked with Grant Denton, and he has his own story to tell about Karma Box and the CARES campus. I offered to visit the CARES Campus and write a story, but I didn’t get a call back. I didn’t speak with Denton about the topic in this article.
In “An Account Against Grant Denton,” Kimberly presents a detailed story that raises uncomfortable questions, not only about one man’s conduct, but about how local institutions responded when a woman tried to report abuse, seek protection, and warn others.
Grant Denton with one of the Karma Boxes.
Kimberly’s story begins after the overdose death of a long-term partner in 2022, when she sought community and stability through a fitness-in-recovery program connected to Reno’s homelessness and recovery services ecosystem.
There, she says, she met Grant Denton, a figure publicly celebrated for his nonprofit work and widely supported by elected officials, who was working as Director of Karma Box and the intake team at the CARES campus.
According to Kimberly, Denton presented himself as a mentor, advocate, and success story in recovery — someone with influence, credibility, and deep ties to local government.
What followed, she alleges, was not support but a year-long relationship marked by grooming, isolation, manipulation, and escalating control.
Public Speakers Call Out Karma Box After Top Employee Identified in Recent Domestic Violence Arrest
See this article for details on the complaints about Karma Box
A Pattern of Manipulation and Control
Kimberly alleges that Grant Denton engaged in behavior she experienced as manipulative and controlling — not as isolated incidents, but as a pattern.
This includes claims that he:
• Used pressure, persuasion, or emotional leverage
• Framed situations in ways that benefited him and constrained her
• Gradually shifted power in the relationship in his favor
Washoe County Says It Will Look into Several Allegations against Grant Denton from Karma Box Project
Karma Box has been in the news several times in the past year after allegations and investigations.
The Police: “Be Careful — You’ll Poke the Bear”
One of the most consequential moments in Kimberly’s account occurs when she seeks help from law enforcement.
After she says the relationship deteriorated into threats, intimidation, and acts that left her fearing for her life — including a slashed tire and explicit threats — Kimberly reports going to the Reno Police Department to inquire about a Temporary Protective Order.
Instead of being encouraged to proceed, she says she was warned. An advocate, whom she describes as familiar with Denton and his political backing, allegedly cautioned her that requesting a protective order would become public before being granted — and that doing so could “poke the bear.”
According to Kimberly, she reported witnessing child and animal abuse, provided names of corroborating witnesses, and left expecting meaningful intervention.
What she says she received instead was a Wyze camera and dismissal.
In her telling, the message was unmistakable: reporting someone with political connections could make her less safe, not more.
Karma Box’s Denton cleared in ‘limited’ investigation into allegations (updated)
See this article for more information about Grant Denton of Karma Box and the investigation.
Legal Pressure: A Cease-and-Desist Before Public Testimony
When Kimberly later decided to speak publicly, she says legal pressure followed quickly. Days before she was scheduled to address the Washoe County Board of Commissioners on May 28, 2024, she received a cease-and-desist letter from Denton’s attorney.
Even more troubling to her, she says she was warned about the letter by a county employee before it was formally delivered to her — raising questions about who knew what, and when.
For Kimberly, a small business owner at the time, the legal threat was chilling. She says she seriously considered staying silent — and likely would have, had others not reminded her that telling the truth is not a crime. She ultimately chose to speak anyway.
Karma Box, CARES Campus, and the Phone They Didn’t Want to Give Back to a Victim
Kimberly’s story is similar to this article about Marissa’s experience with Karma Box and Grant Denton.
The County Commission: Dismissal, Then Funding
Kimberly’s three-minute public comment at the May 28, 2024, commission meeting is the centerpiece of her testimony. Standing before elected officials — with Denton and his attorney present — she described her experience, her failed attempt to seek protection, and her belief that Denton posed a danger to vulnerable women.
What happened next, she argues, mattered just as much as what she said.
Immediately after her remarks, the District Attorney issued a “point of order,” stating that anyone who believes they are a crime victim should report it to law enforcement. Kimberly describes the statement as carefully worded but devastating — publicly casting doubt on her credibility moments after she had explained her attempt to report Denton to police.
Despite promises of an investigation, Denton’s organization was awarded additional taxpayer funding that same day, bundled into a consent agenda alongside unrelated programs. Only one commissioner, Mike Clark, objected — asking that Denton’s funding be separated and paused pending investigation. His request was denied.
To Kimberly, the sequence was unmistakable: speak, be questioned, then watch the system proceed as if nothing had been said.
Misrepresentation and Narrative Control
Kimberly says that Denton controlled or distorted the narrative about what happened to others, to institutions, or even to Kimberly herself.
She claims that:
• Her perspective was marginalized or dismissed by authorities
• His version of events was treated as authoritative
• She was portrayed unfairly or inaccurately
OPINION: Denton investigation lacks transparency, protection for victims who speak out
An opinion article about victims who speak out and the investigation into Karma Box
The Investigation That Wasn’t
Kimberly describes the subsequent county-funded investigation as narrow, constrained, and ultimately protective of the institution rather than the public.
According to her testimony, multiple women and men who had come forward were never contacted. Employees were pressured to provide favorable statements. Allegations involving domestic violence history, sobriety violations, and misconduct with vulnerable populations were deemed “out of scope.”
Nevertheless, Denton reportedly began telling others he had been “exonerated” — a term Kimberly repeatedly challenges, noting that the most serious issues were never examined.
What followed, she says, was not caution but rehabilitation: renewed media praise, increased public visibility, and even new roles involving foster youth and children — developments that she describes as both shocking and retraumatizing.
The CARES Campus: When Public Relations Becomes Public Policy
Exploitation of Power or Position
She claims that Denton held advantages — social, professional, financial, or reputational — that he used to her disadvantage.
As she describes it, Denton was:
• Using his status or credibility to shape how others viewed her
• Creating situations where she felt dependent and trapped
• Making her feel that resistance would come at a cost
The Lawyer: “This Will Break You”
Kimberly and another woman later consulted an attorney to explore civil action. The response, she recounts, was blunt. The lawyer warned that any lawsuit would likely take years, involve intense public scrutiny, and result in character attacks — all with no guarantee of meaningful change. Because the women were not seeking money, but the removal of Denton from positions involving vulnerable people, the attorney advised against proceeding. Kimberly agreed. She says she did not have the emotional capacity to survive another prolonged fight against institutions with far greater power and resources.
Greg Kidd and the Choice Between Managing Decline and Building Prosperity in Reno
Grant Denton will be appearing on the panel at Greg Kidd’s event on Jan. 21 at 5:30 at the Reno Public Market. See this article for details on the event and the RSVP link.
What This Testimony Ultimately Alleges
Kimberly’s document is not just a personal narrative. It is an accusation of institutional failure.
She alleges:
Law enforcement discouraged protective action rather than facilitating it.
Legal tools were used to intimidate rather than investigate.
County oversight mechanisms prioritized liability management over public safety.
Political relationships insulated a contractor from scrutiny.
Media amplification followed power, not evidence.
Whether every allegation can be substantiated is a question for investigators and journalists. But the pattern she describes — report, warn, fund, rehabilitate — is clear, internally consistent, and deeply troubling. Her testimony forces a difficult question onto the public record:
What happens when someone reports harm, and the system decides the harm is inconvenient?