DA: 10 deputy constables indicted for alleged 'double-dipping'

HOUSTON – A total of five former deputy constables were indicted by a Harris County grand jury on Tuesday.

Officials with the Harris County District Attorney's office said the charges range from theft by a public servant to tampering with documents.

Indicted were former Precinct 6 Lieutenant Mark Timmers, Precinct 4 Deputy Constable Antonio Nichols, former Precinct 3 Lieutenant Cordell Lindsey and former Precinct 3 Deputy Constables Robert Wilson and Herman Eagleton.

Investigators said the men are accused of getting paid to work off-duty security jobs for the Houston Housing Authority while on the taxpayers' time. The Housing Authority hires deputy constables to help secure housing project throughout the Houston area.

Precinct 3 officials said Lindsey was also the Housing Authority's chief fraud examiner. The Precinct 6 Constable's Office had the contract to provide security for Housing Authority complexes and sources involved in the investigation told Local 2 Investigates it was Precinct 6 officials who first noticed this problem and forwarded the findings of an internal probe to the DA's Office last year.

Sources familiar with the case said the DA's Office examined two years worth of the former deputy constables' time sheets as part of the investigation.

Before Tuesday's indictments, investigators said five other reserve and full time deputy constables were also indicted. Sources familiar with that part of the investigation said some of those charges stemmed from unauthorized criminal background checks being done on tenants living in Housing Authority complexes.

Officials at all three Constable's Precincts said all those indicted have either been terminated or resigned their positions.