Bexar County Judge Fires Top Staffer Over 'Creeped Out' Publisher Texts

Communications director terminated after investigation into inappropriate messages to local newspaper publisher.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai fired his communications director, Jim Lefko, in December after an investigation found Lefko had sent a series of flirtatious and inappropriate text messages to the publisher of a local East Side newspaper, Stephanie Zarriello, that she said left her "creeped out." The county's independent ombudsman investigated the matter and Sakai's chief of staff said the judge would not tolerate such behavior from any county employee.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the importance of maintaining professional boundaries and appropriate conduct, especially for public officials and their staff. The termination of Lefko sends a strong message that the county will not condone inappropriate behavior that makes community members uncomfortable or compromises the integrity of the government.

The details

According to the Express-News report, Lefko, a former sports editor at the newspaper, sent texts to Zarriello praising her appearance and asking her to send a photo of herself "all dolled up" while he was tasked with building support for a county plan to revitalize the Freeman Coliseum. Lefko also invited Zarriello to meet him for drinks because he was a "bachelor for the weekend." Zarriello said the messages left her "creeped out." After an investigation by the county ombudsman, Sakai's chief of staff said the judge would not tolerate such behavior from any county employee and the decision was made to terminate Lefko.

  • In December 2025, Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai fired his communications director, Jim Lefko.
  • In early December 2025, the county's ombudsman, Allison Highley, conducted an investigation into Lefko's inappropriate text messages to a local publisher.

The players

Peter Sakai

The Bexar County Judge who fired his communications director, Jim Lefko, over inappropriate text messages to a local publisher.

Jim Lefko

The former communications director for Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai who was fired for sending flirtatious and inappropriate text messages to a local publisher.

Stephanie Zarriello

The publisher of the San Antonio Observer, an East Side community newspaper, who received the inappropriate text messages from Lefko that she said "creeped her out."

Allison Highley

The Bexar County ombudsman who conducted the investigation into Lefko's text messages and reported her findings to Judge Sakai.

Matthew Polanco

The chief of staff for Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai, who stated the judge would not tolerate such behavior from any county employee.

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What they’re saying

“The judge has not and will not ever put up with that behavior, and it was quite obvious once we started asking questions that the only solution was termination. The judge will not allow that behavior from anyone in the county, especially not his staff.”

— Matthew Polanco, Chief of Staff for Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai (Express-News)

“I was under no obligation to share my texts (with the ombudsman), and did not believe I had done anything wrong although in hindsight I could have used better judgment.”

— Jim Lefko, Former Communications Director for Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai (Express-News)

What’s next

The county ombudsman's report on the investigation will likely be made public, and there may be further scrutiny of the county's policies and procedures around professional conduct for government employees.

The takeaway

This incident underscores the importance of maintaining appropriate boundaries and behavior, especially for public officials and their staff, in order to uphold the integrity of government and maintain the trust of the community. It serves as a reminder that there are consequences for inappropriate conduct, even for high-level government employees.