MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Texas – A Montgomery County man is facing criminal charges after investigators discovered he was operating two unlicensed personal care homes out of residential houses where bedridden and disabled seniors were living without required fire safety equipment or state licensing.
Jeffrey Canales was arrested and charged with operating a nursing or personal care facility without a license, a Class A misdemeanor, for each location. He was booked on a $2,000 bond.
The Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office (MCFMO) responded to a complaint on July 25 about unsafe living conditions at an unlicensed care home in the 200 block of Spring Pines Drive in southern Montgomery County. When investigators arrived, they found not one but two unlicensed care homes operating side by side.
Inside the homes, investigators found multiple bedridden residents who could not care for themselves. Residents reported that caregivers bathed them, changed their adult briefs, fed them, and administered their medications around the clock. Neither home had a fire sprinkler system, a fire alarm or a fire extinguisher, according to court records.
A neighbor, who asked to remain anonymous, told KPRC 2 News Reporter, Corley Peel, they never noticed anything suspicious.
“I’ve been here for almost two years and I just assumed that there were two houses that did home care. Because you would see the nurses coming in different shifts and walking in between the two houses during the shifts throughout the day,” said the anonymous neighbor.
One resident, who had previously lived at another Canales-operated home on Oakhurst Drive, told investigators that Canales had taken all of the money from her money market account, leaving her with just $442. Court records show she also told detectives that Canales withdrew money from her checking account without her permission.
While at the home, Corley spoke with a woman who said she worked there and helped the seniors. When asked if she knew the homes were being operated without a license, the woman said “No, I don’t know.”
According to the arrest warrant affidavit, Canales confirmed to investigators that he operated both homes and employed caregivers who provided 24-hour care at each location. He acknowledged knowing the county’s permitting requirements and he had previously obtained proper permits for a licensed facility at on Oakhurst Drive, but chose not to seek permits for the two Spring Pines Drive homes.
This was not Canales’ first run-in with investigators. In January 2026, he was issued a Fire Marshal’s Order to correct safety violations and obtain a state license for a similar unlicensed care home he operated at another location on Oakhurst Drive.
According to the warrant, The MCFMO issued Canales an order requiring him to relocate all residents within five business days to properly permitted facilities and to provide documentation confirming each resident’s new placement.
The cases are part of a broader pattern of illegal care homes discovered across Montgomery County. Investigators say many of these facilities operate out of ordinary rental homes in residential neighborhoods, sometimes housing as many as 10 residents in converted lofts, garages and bedrooms, without meeting basic fire and life safety requirements. Beyond the safety violations, investigators frequently encounter complaints of financial fraud, neglect and abuse.
“Unsafe and often abusive unlicensed care homes are hidden in plain sight,” the MCFMO said in its media release.
Officials say Montgomery County has seen a rise in unlicensed care homes in recent years, driven in part by its aging population and proximity to the Houston metro area.
Residents and family members can verify whether a care home is properly licensed by visiting the Texas Health and Human Services provider search tool at: https://tulip.hhs.texas.gov/TULIP/s/ltc-provider-search
Anyone with concerns about an unlicensed care home is encouraged to contact the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office.