kcentv.com - KCEN HD - Waco, Temple, and KilleenMore Complaints Filed Against Hill County Sheriff

It began in January with a federal suit against Sheriff Jeffrey Lyon.

Sgt. Josh Vercher says he and his partner deserved around 750 hours of pay they did not receive for their work as canine handlers.

"I never received any compensation for my at-home care and off duty time," he said. He brought the dog home every night and cared for him as if he were his own pet.

Then weeks later five more come forward, this time with sexual harassment complaints against the Sheriff.

Len Crawford was one them. He says he saw blatant harassment himself last year.

"Hip thrusts towards Miss Doty's head. Touching, rubbing, hair stroking," he said.

Crawford was later fired - a dishonorable discharge, for what the Sheriff's Dept. said was disobeying an order. Chief Deputy Steven Girsh would not tell KCEN News what it was. Although he did say he did not witness the act - just filed the paperwork.

"Right now I still don't know what I was terminated for...other than maybe knowing too much," shrugs Crawford who has since found a job with Navarro County.

Now County Judge Justin Lewis says at least 10 more complaints have reached his office. President of the county's Emergency Services District Barbara Leetun filed one of them.

"Sheriff Lyon came out and took his badge off...threw it across the street and got in my face and screamed that he wanted my resignation," she said. The scene she described, witnessed by dozens, happened after she voted to award Careflight a contract, streamlining ambulances throughout the county with the intention of reducing response times.

"It was a very disjointed system," she said.

Lyon's attorney Vic Feazell said Wednesday "I look forward to when the (Texas) Rangers get there." He repeated this is all a right-wing conspiracy to put one of the Sheriff's opponents in office in the April elections.

But those involved say that's not even close.

"I don't live in the county, I can't even vote," Crawford said.

Vercher's partner Jason Patrick is running against Lyon in the election, but he says this has nothing to do with that.

"I don't go around asking people to vote for his opponents. I ask them not to vote for him," he said.

He and the others involved say they're enthused that more people the county are coming forward to put what one claims is a 'bully with a badge' in his place.

Reporter: Rebecca Schleicher/Photographer: Thuan Nguyen

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