One of 7 charged from KPRC 2′s ‘DRAINED’ Investigation in custody, will appear in court Monday

HOUSTON – One of the seven people facing charges in a scandal revolving around emergency water line repairs in the City of Houston is in jail while the remaining six remain free.

Patrece Lee, the former City of Houston water department manager is the sole person in custody.

• ‘I think she was doing her job’: Houston’s mayor commends KPRC 2′s Amy Davis for exposing shady city contracts

A Harris County Grand Jury filed charges against the group after KPRC 2′s ‘DRAINED’ Investigation uncovered millions of taxpayer dollars that were spent in the waterline repair scandal.

• Former Houston water department manager now in custody after felony charges in shady waterline repair contracts

Here are the people facing charges:

• Patrece Lee, former City of Houston water department manager
  • Charges: Abuse of official capacity, tampering with documents
• Andrew Thomas, Lee’s brother
  • Charge: Abuse of official capacity
• Danielle Hurts
  • Charges: Abuse of official capacity and bribery

The other four defendants were contractors and business owners charged with bribery for making payments to Lee in exchange for the steering the waterline repairs, inspections and city payments their way.

• ‘That’s classic public corruption’: Felony charges filed after ‘DRAINED’ Investigation into shady contracts

They are:

• Joseph Nerie, Owner of Nerie Construction
  • Charges: One charge of Bribery (2nd degree felony), One Charge Tampering with a Government Document (State Jail Felony)
• Edelmiro Castillo, Owner of Omega Engineering, Inc.,
  • Charges: Bribery (2nd degree felony), Tampering with a Government Document (State Jail Felony)
• Tieasha Coleman Houston, Owner of T. J. Cole Enterprises, LLC
  • Charge: Bribery (2nd degree felony)
• Frank Perkins, Owner of CST Connections, LLC
  • Charge: Bribery (2nd degree felony)

Patrece Lee has a court date scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday morning. She’s the first to appear in court following the charges being filed.

• Corruption charges after ‘DRAINED’ investigation uncovers emergency water repair scam