Texas Scorecard by Michael Wilson September 24, 2025
Patrece Lee, the former manager for the Houston Water Department, was sentenced earlier this year to 10 years in prison following conviction in a bribery scheme. This week, she was denied parole and a new Texas law allows the board to delay subsequent reviews until 2028.
Lee, who faced charges of abuse of official capacity and four counts of bribery, used her position to funnel more than $400,000 to her brother’s construction company. She was also accused of soliciting kickbacks and steering vendors to her own consulting firm, ultimately taking in about $320,000 in kickbacks.
As part of a plea deal that required her testimony against co-conspirators, Lee pleaded guilty to a second-degree felony bribery charge. She was arrested in May 2024 and sentenced in February 2025. In total, seven people were charged in the scandal, including Lee and her brother, though Lee was described as the one essentially running the operation.
More:
https://texasscorecard.com/local/new-parole-law-ensures-convicted-houston-official-wont-see-review-again-until-2028/
