A naturalized United States citizen is seeking judicial intervention after alleging that he has been subjected to years of harassment, unlawful surveillance, defamation, and discriminatory conduct by state and municipal employees in Texas as well as private individuals acting under color of law. The lawsuit was filed by Tewodros Gashu in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas on March 9, 2026. The defendants named include the State of Texas along with various public officials and private actors.
According to the complaint, Gashu asserts that over two decades he has experienced a “relentless campaign” involving stalking, warrantless monitoring, physical assaults, character defamation, economic sabotage, and retaliation. He alleges these actions were motivated by his race, national origin, and status as a naturalized U.S. citizen. The complaint states: “These actions…were designed to criminalize, defame, and endanger Plaintiff, with the ultimate intent to destroy his life or facilitate his wrongful deportation.” Gashu brings claims under federal statutes including 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (civil rights violations), 34 U.S.C. § 12601 (pattern or practice of police misconduct), as well as several state laws.
The filing outlines specific incidents dating back to at least 2006 where Gashu alleges that law enforcement officers—including employees from the Department of Public Safety (DPS), Dallas County Sheriff’s Department staff members such as David King (a constable deputy), and others—conducted searches of his residences without warrants or consent at multiple addresses in Dallas and Plano between 2007 and July 2024. Gashu claims these intrusions resulted in property damage and were reported to property management companies and the Dallas Police Department.
In addition to alleged unlawful surveillance and home intrusions, Gashu describes repeated acts of stalking such as unwanted phone calls spreading false allegations to personal contacts; unsolicited emails containing defamatory content; following him across different locations; intimidation at public spaces; leaving unwanted items inside his home; spreading rumors on radio broadcasts; and direct threats at his residence. The complaint cites both federal anti-stalking laws (18 U.S.C. § 2261A) and the Texas Penal Code (§ 42.072) as being violated.
Gashu also reports suffering physical harm requiring medical attention from two separate gunpoint incidents in Dallas which he attributes to “defendant sabotage.” He states there are police reports documenting these events.
The lawsuit further accuses named defendants—including David King’s family members such as Kimberly King (an employee at Dallas County Justice Court)—of contacting employers like Lubbock County Public Health while Gashu worked there as a clinical researcher in April 2025. He alleges they made false accusations resulting in job loss due to what he describes as racially motivated attacks designed to undermine his professional standing.
Gashu recounts efforts to seek redress through complaints filed with the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), Attorney General’s Office, Dallas County Sheriff’s Office, and City of Dallas between February 2016 and February 2025 for issues ranging from unauthorized monitoring to defamation. According to the complaint: “Instead of investigating,” one response from the sheriff’s office was simply “we don’t know.” He claims this led defendants to escalate their conduct.
The legal arguments presented cite established standards for liability under Section 1983 for deprivation of constitutional rights by persons acting under color of law—including private actors working jointly with state officials—as well as municipal liability for failure to train or supervise employees leading to patterns of misconduct. Claims are also brought under Section 1985(3) for conspiracy based on racial animus; Texas law regarding defamation per se; intentional infliction of emotional distress; invasion of privacy through intrusion upon seclusion; tortious interference with contract or prospective relations; obstruction of justice; hate crimes statutes (18 U.S.C. § 249); negligence; gross negligence; among others.
Gashu seeks multiple forms of relief from the court: declaratory judgments recognizing violations of his constitutional rights; compensatory damages estimated at $1 million for physical injuries, emotional distress including anxiety and depression requiring ongoing treatment, reputational harm resulting in lost income opportunities due to termination from jobs or disruption in education; punitive damages against individual defendants for willful conduct; preliminary and permanent injunctions ordering cessation of all unauthorized monitoring or harassment activities by defendants; removal of defamatory statements from records; restitution for financial losses suffered throughout this period; attorney’s fees if counsel is retained; leave to amend the complaint if new information arises during discovery process; demand for a jury trial on all triable issues.
The case was filed pro se by Tewodros Gashu who provided contact information but did not list any attorneys representing him at this stage. No judge names are specified within the document itself. The case identification number is Case No. 3:26-cv-00746-N-BN.
Source: 326cv00746_Tewodros_Gashu_v_State_of_Texas_Complaint_Northern_District_of_Texas.pdf
