JACK COUNTY, TX - The newly elected sheriff in this community located in the north-central part of the state is finding himself the subject of a discrimination complaint from a former employee, who is alleging “severe and pervasive sexual harassment.”
Sheriff Charles "T-Bob" Hauger was appointed Jack County Sheriff by Commissioners Court on July 15, 2024. According to the sheriff's office website, he was elected to a full term on Nov. 5, 2024.
The Spielberger Law Group, representing the plaintiff, Jane Doe, notified the Jack County Sheriff's Office in a letter that it had received a discrimination complaint “in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e, et seq., and the Labor Code Chapter 21 § 210.51 et seq.”
The notice said that Hauger, within two weeks of Jane Doe’s employment, Hauger began a campaign of sexually harassing the complainant. That harassment included getting her phone number from employee records and sending her text messages containing sexual innuendos.
During one incident, Hauger commented about Doe’s appearance, stating, “That butt though.” On another occasion, Doe mentioned in a work-related context that she didn’t know what to do with her hands, to which Hauger replied, “I can name a few things.”
At or around September 2024, Doe was delivering documents to Hauger’s office, he commented, “That is not how I pictured you on your knees in my office.” In the ensuing two weeks, Doe alleges the campaign of harassment not only continued but escalated. That included inviting her to his home for a massage, purchasing a sex toy and lingerie for her, and then asking her to send pictures of herself wearing the lingerie. Doe told Hauger his comments and behavior were inappropriate and needed to stop, whereby he responded, “Okay.”
After this incident, Doe claims Hauger began to “micromanage” her, requiring her to check in with him or the chief deputy when she needed to leave the office. He also said she would no longer be paid overtime, calling it “bullshit.”
In October 2024, Doe reported the harassment to the chief deputy, Doug Angell, who dismissed her concerns, claiming she was “perceiving everything wrong” and calling her allegations “unbelievable.” He further said he couldn’t do anything since Hauger was an elected official.
On October 25, 2024, Doe was informed by Angel that she would have to work on October 32, 2024 (Halloween) despite not being scheduled. Doe refused the assignment and believed she had no other option but to resign “due to the ongoing sexual harassment, the hostile work environment, and JSCO’s [Jack County Sheriff’s Office] failure to address her complaints.” THe letter said this caused Doe “significant emotional distress,” which caused her resignation.
The letter closed by giving “formal notice” of the office’s “ongoing legal duty to preserve any and all information relevant to the facts surrounding this claim.”
The letter also demands the preservation of evidence, including “1) business records; 2) paper, digital, or electronic files; 3) data generated by and/or stored on you or your client’s computers and storage media (e.g., hard disks, floppy disks, backup tapes); 4) any other electronic data, such as voice mails, text messages, emails, digital/analog audio recordings; 5) any related physical evidence, and; 6) any form of video recordings (please prevent the automatic deletion of video footage by preprogrammed deletion cycles).”
Law Enforcement Today has contacted the county commission for comment. We will update you when or if we receive any feedback.
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