Lawsuit Accuses Collin County DA of Sexual Harassment, Retaliation Against Employees

A federal lawsuit filed Monday by a group of Collin County employees claims sexual harassment, gender discrimination and illegal retaliation carried out by the county's top officials as recently as this past April.

The 75-page lawsuit details allegations against the Collin County District Attorney, his first assistant and county commissioners.

The plaintiffs -- Kim Pickrell, Keith Henslee, Fallon Lafleur, Vykim Le, Jane Doe 1, and Jane Doe 2 -- claim a toxic work environment that included sexual harassment, bullying and threats.

Attorney Jeffrey Simon filed the lawsuit in federal court, naming District Attorney Greg Willis, First Assistant District Attorney Bill Wirskye, County Judge Chris Hill, and all four county commissioners.

Those named in the lawsuit are calling the allegations lies that come from disgruntled workers.

“The time to no longer be silenced had come,” said Simon, who says multiple women were subjected to unwanted hugs and touching by Willis.

The suit stated Willis "treats many female employees as objects that, without their consent, must gratify his sexual impulses and personal vanity."

“There’s a description of Kim Pickrell that [Willis] would walk down the hallway with her, stare over at her breasts and moan,” said Simon.

"The citizens of Collin County deserve better than these dishonest and politically motivated attacks that waste time and money. I categorically and unequivocally deny these false allegations. They did not happen," Willis said in a statement to NBC 5.

The lawsuit alleged Willis made repeated unwanted sexual advances and in one case, "would give her full frontal body hugs while pressing her breasts into his chest, rubbing her lower back with his hands and moaning."

"There is a mountain of evidence proving that the allegations are false. These complaints are sour grapes by some disgruntled former and current employees who had performance issues," Willis’ attorney, Rogge Dunn, said in a statement provided to NBC 5.

The suit claims Wirskye "runs the office as a crass, misogynistic fraternity complete with systemic hazing of the county’s attorneys, investigators and staff."

“Female professionals were, according to the complaint, regularly referred to as ‘bitches, sluts, whores,’” said Simon.

"This is obviously a politically motivated and politically timed lawsuit based on lies and recycled untruths by some very disgruntled and very troubled individuals," Wirskye said in a statement. "It is a shame for all the good people who work in the Collin County District Attorney's Office and our County Officials to have to suffer through these untruthful personal attacks. I can't wait to get into court and clear my name."

The group alleged commissioners, including County Judge Chris Hill, "have known of this misconduct for years but have continued to enable it by refusing to take remedial action or even conduct a reasonable investigation."

When asked why they came forward now with allegations they claim happened for years, Simon responded: “Because the retaliatory conduct escalated to a point where it was unmanageable.”

Simon’s clients claim they received little to no support from human resources.

“The complaint alleges that the HR department told several of our clients when they complained of abuses in the office that DA Willis ‘is untouchable,’” said Simon. “’There’s nothing we can do for you. All you can do is pursue a claim civilly.'”

The spokesperson for the Collin County Commissioners Court declined to comment on pending litigation.

Hill told NBC 5 he has not yet read the details of the lawsuit.

The county’s top prosecutors call it a politically motivated and timed lawsuit.

Of note, Wirskye is not an elected official. He is appointed. Willis, who was first elected in 2010, is running unopposed for re-election. Hill is facing challenger Joshua Murray in his re-election bid.

The lawsuit does not specify a dollar amount for damages and seeks a jury trial.

Simon declined to specify what, if any, evidence there is to support the claims but did say some of the plaintiffs would swear under oath that they witnessed incidents detailed in the suit.

“[The defendants] have every opportunity, the defendants, to raise their right hand and swear that all this is false. We invite them to do that, subject to cross-examination,” said Simon. “Let’s see. Let’s see who a jury is going to believe. We’re very confident in how that’s going to turn out.”

Those named in the lawsuit have 20 days to respond.