Jeff Davis County has recently hired a new clerk in the County Attorney’s Office, replacing a former employee whose conduct became central to a series of false accusations and retaliatory actions against a local journalist—actions that later collapsed under scrutiny.
The new hire, Zahara Gavriel, joins the office following the departure of Lisa Dennison, a county employee whose misuse of confidential law enforcement information and subsequent written statements played a role in criminal filings against Big Bend Times Publisher David Flash. All charges connected to those filings were later dismissed.
Public Confrontation Using Confidential Records
The incident that triggered broader concerns occurred in Fall 2023, when Dennison—while off duty from her county job and working a second job at a local meat shop—publicly confronted Flash inside Far West Texas Cattle Co. in Fort Davis.
Flash had entered the shop briefly to take photographs and purchase bread from the adjacent bakery, a business he had previously promoted. Without provocation, Dennison confronted him using information she acknowledged accessing through her role in the Jeff Davis County Attorney’s Office.
Witnesses reported that Dennison followed Flash into the neighboring bakery, loudly declaring that he was “under investigation” and claiming she had viewed body-worn camera footage of him through her county job. She specifically alleged the footage showed Flash “yelling at police.”
At the time, Flash had never requested or been notified of any such footage and immediately recognized the reference as a September 15, 2023 traffic stop involving a State Park Police officer—a stop that resulted in no charges and no wrongdoing.
Written Statement Contradictions
Months later, Dennison submitted a written statement on government letterhead that both confirmed her access to internal law enforcement records and attempted to walk back key elements of her public disclosures.
In the same document, she wrote:
- That she viewed body-worn camera footage involving Flash
- That she recognized him from his “Criminal History Report”
Yet she later claimed:
- She did not know what the alleged investigation involved
- She was unfamiliar with the underlying case
- She did not provide details because she “did not know” them
Those statements were directly contradicted by her earlier disclosures, which could only have come from her access to non-public records through her county employment.
A Statement That Read Like Retaliation
Rather than clarifying the situation, Dennison’s written submission escalated matters. The document included speculative and defamatory language, describing Flash as mentally unstable, suggesting he might need psychiatric restraint, speculating about weapons possession, and portraying him as a danger to the public.
Observers noted the statement read less like a factual account and more like a personal attack—one submitted under official letterhead by a government employee.
Used in Criminal Filings — Then Collapsed
Dennison’s statement was later included among materials connected to criminal filings against Flash, initiated amid heightened tensions between Flash’s reporting and county officials.
Those filings relied on internal statements that were contradicted by video evidence, public records, and sworn testimony. Every charge stemming from those proceedings was later dismissed.
No court found wrongdoing by Flash. No conviction resulted. No factual basis for the allegations survived review.
No Accountability Disclosed
Dennison is no longer employed by Jeff Davis County. To date, the county has not disclosed any internal investigation, disciplinary findings, or corrective action related to her conduct or the misuse of confidential information.
Meanwhile, public records show the county has spent significant taxpayer funds on outside legal counsel while resisting disclosure of records tied to these events.
A Pattern Raises Questions
The hiring of a new clerk comes as Jeff Davis County faces ongoing scrutiny over:
- Retaliation against journalists
- Selective use of confidential records
- Internal coordination of unsupported criminal complaints
- Lack of transparency when allegations fall apart
“This wasn’t a misunderstanding,” Flash said. “It was an abuse of access, followed by an attempt to turn personal hostility into criminal process. And when the facts came out, every charge collapsed.”
Public Trust at Stake
While the County Attorney’s Office has moved forward with new staffing, the episode remains a cautionary example of how government access to sensitive information can be misused—and how quickly the criminal justice system can be weaponized when accountability breaks down.
Big Bend Times will continue reporting on government transparency, misuse of public authority, and actions taken under color of law that affect the public’s right to a free and independent press.
