Former Bexar County veterans services director sues county, claims retaliation led to firing
Less than eight months after being terminated as executive director of the Bexar County Military and Veterans Services Department, Keith Wilson has filed a lawsuit in federal court in San Antonio claiming he was retaliated and discriminated against.
Wilson, who led the department from September 2022 until his termination in early March, filed the 41-page lawsuit Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas.
The lawsuit names Bexar County and Larry Roberson, the county’s chief civil attorney, as defendants.
Wilson claims county leadership subjected him to escalating scrutiny, disciplinary action and investigations after he reported allegations of workplace discrimination involving his former deputy director, Nancy Taguacta.
He also accuses the county of publicly damaging his reputation by releasing allegations of inappropriate conduct, including claims he accessed sexually explicit material on his county-issued cellphone.
Wilson disputes those findings, arguing that investigators relied on historical internet data associated with his personal Google account, some of which predated his employment with Bexar County.
The lawsuit alleges retaliation in violation of federal employment discrimination laws and accuses Roberson of violating Wilson’s constitutional rights.
The suit claims that last fall, Roberson told Wilson during a meeting that he would not “survive” an investigation from the county’s Ombudsman.
Wilson is seeking lost wages, damages, attorney’s fees and either reinstatement or compensation for future lost earnings. He has requested a jury trial.
Reached for comment Thursday, Roberson told KSAT via email: “Because this matter is now pending in federal court, it is more appropriate to address the allegations through the legal process rather than through public comment.”
Wilson declined to comment to KSAT and referred inquiries to his attorney, who did not respond to a phone call seeking comment.
Workplace complaints preceded Wilson’s firing
According to the suit, Wilson began receiving complaints in late July and August 2025 from employees who accused Taguacta of bullying, harassment, retaliation and discriminatory treatment.
One employee complaint included the heading “ONLY FEMALES BEING TERMINATED,” according to the court filing.
Other complaints raised concerns about the treatment of employees with mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder.
Wilson said he forwarded the complaints to Bexar County Ombudsman Allison Highley in August 2025 and requested an investigation so he could take appropriate corrective action.
“I want to address these concerns,” Wilson wrote, according to the lawsuit.
The filing states that the ombudsman’s investigation substantiated complaints against Taguacta in October 2025.
Taguacta, a county employee for more than 30 years, was subsequently allowed to resign and retire rather than be terminated.
Wilson alleges the county offered Taguacta a $25,000 separation payment.
The lawsuit also claims county officials had received complaints about Taguacta years before Wilson became director, including complaints directed to Precinct 2 Commissioner Justin Rodriguez’s office in 2020 and County Judge Peter Sakai’s office in 2023.
Wilson argued those complaints were never disclosed to him, despite county leadership later criticizing him for failing to address personnel problems involving Taguacta.
‘Wipe the leadership slate clean’
County Manager David Smith placed Wilson on a 90-day performance improvement plan in October 2025.
Wilson claims Smith told him that Roberson wanted to “wipe the leadership slate clean in the department.”
The performance plan identified three areas of concern with Wilson: lack of availability and presence, inappropriate delegation of core responsibilities, and failure to identify and address misconduct.
Wilson disputes those findings, arguing that his position required him to visit multiple county service locations and attend community events rather than remain in his office.
He also claims he had not received any formal disciplinary action during his previous three years with the county.
The lawsuit alleges Wilson proposed replacing the performance improvement plan with a departmental action plan focused on training, employee feedback and organizational improvements.
However, Wilson claims county officials continued to rely on the original performance plan to justify further scrutiny.
On Dec. 2, 2025, Wilson filed a formal grievance alleging retaliation.
Eight days later, he was placed on paid administrative leave, records show.
Commissioners appointed Calvin Henry to the executive director position after Wilson’s dismissal earlier this year.
County hired outside law firm for investigation
The lawsuit also raises questions about the county’s decision to hire an outside law firm to investigate Wilson.
According to the filing, Bexar County retained Caldwell Clark Fanucchi & Finlayson, PLLC, under an agreement with a cost not to exceed $100,000.
Wilson alleges the investigation began shortly after he formally complained about retaliation.
The lawsuit cites correspondence the county submitted to the Texas Attorney General’s Office acknowledging that outside counsel was retained in response to Wilson’s discrimination allegations, communications with an attorney and a subsequent Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charge.
Wilson claims the investigation expanded beyond the concerns identified in his performance improvement plan and became an effort to find grounds for his termination.
The lawsuit states that Wilson was interviewed by an outside investigator for more than five hours across two meetings in January and February of this year.
Wilson alleges investigators never gave him an opportunity to respond to certain accusations that were later used to justify his firing.
On Feb. 17, Wilson filed a formal retaliation complaint with the EEOC.
Less than a month later, on March 10, Bexar County Commissioners Court voted to terminate his employment.
Wilson claims the decision came one day after Roberson challenged his communications with county employees who could potentially serve as witnesses in his discrimination case.
Wilson was at a ski resort out of state when commissioners voted to fire him.
County disputes retaliation claims
The lawsuit acknowledges that Bexar County previously denied retaliating against Wilson in statements submitted to the EEOC.
According to the filing, the county maintained that its audit, performance improvement plan, administrative leave and outside investigation were based on legitimate concerns about Wilson’s leadership and conduct.
The county also argued that Wilson’s referral of employee complaints to the ombudsman was part of his ordinary managerial responsibilities rather than protected opposition to discrimination.
Wilson disputes those explanations, arguing that the timing of the county’s actions and what he describes as shifting justifications demonstrate retaliation.
The lawsuit states that the EEOC issued Wilson notices of his right to sue in August 2026 after closing its investigations without determining whether federal law had been violated.
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