A superseding indictment says Joey Ellis used a badge, uniform and city vehicle to detain and threaten men in Houston parks.
HOUSTON, TX — Federal prosecutors have expanded their case against former Houston park ranger Joey Lamar Ellis, adding four alleged victims in a superseding indictment unsealed Tuesday that accuses him of detaining, extorting and sexually assaulting men in city parks.
The new indictment raises the number of identified alleged victims from eight to 12 and moves the federal civil rights case into a broader stage. Ellis, 35, is accused of using his city job to make people believe he had police power, though park rangers are not licensed police officers. He remains in federal custody.
Ellis now faces 12 counts of deprivation of rights under color of law, three counts of brandishing a firearm and one count of witness tampering, according to the indictment. Prosecutors say the alleged crimes happened from December 2023 through June 2024 at Houston parks, mostly at night. The first federal indictment was returned in December 2024 and listed eight alleged victims. The new indictment identifies 12 people only by letters. U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani said in the earlier case that Ellis was accused of “leveraging his authority to intimidate victims” and demanding money or sexual acts. The indictment is an accusation, and Ellis is presumed innocent unless convicted in court.
Prosecutors say Ellis used his badge, uniform and city-issued vehicle to stop people in parks and falsely accuse them of crimes. In several cases, he allegedly parked behind victims’ vehicles so they could not leave, took their phones or driver’s licenses, and threatened arrest or towing. The indictment says Ellis then offered a way out if the men paid him or submitted to sexual acts. In some cases, prosecutors say, he sent men to ATMs while holding their property. In one case, he allegedly told a victim to contact other people and bring them to the park so Ellis could take more money. Investigators say Ellis had no authority to arrest anyone or order a vehicle towed.
One of the first men to speak publicly, Joshua Beedee, said he encountered Ellis at Cullen Park on Saums Road in west Houston. Beedee said Ellis pointed a gun at him, threatened arrest and towing, and forced him to strip. “He targeted people knowing that they wouldn’t be able to stand up for themselves and wouldn’t be able to speak out about it,” Beedee said. “He made the wrong decision when he thought I would do the same.” Beedee said the case still affects him and that he was glad more alleged victims had come forward. “You never know how big that number is,” he said.
The federal case followed state charges filed in Harris County after Houston police arrested Ellis in June 2024. Police said officers were called after a man reported that a park ranger forced him to strip naked and robbed him at Cullen Park. Officers later found Ellis carrying a gun and the man’s identification, according to earlier accounts of the arrest. Ellis also faced state counts tied to sexual assault and official oppression. The FBI later opened a civil rights investigation and said Ellis may have targeted members of the LGBTQIA+ community and others at Cullen, Memorial and other Houston-area parks. The new indictment does not identify the sexual orientation of the alleged victims.
City records and earlier federal filings show the Houston Parks and Recreation Department had received complaints about Ellis before his arrest. Prosecutors have said parks officials began tracking his work vehicle in April 2024 during an internal review. That tracking showed Ellis sometimes drove to parks he was not assigned to patrol. The new indictment says four alleged victims were robbed after that tracking began. Federal investigators also reviewed tips and digital payment records, including money transfer apps, while looking for other possible victims. The FBI has said Ellis began working as a Houston park ranger in 2019.
The case now turns to federal court proceedings on the superseding indictment. No trial date has been set. If convicted on any deprivation of rights count involving aggravated sexual abuse, Ellis could face up to life in prison. The firearm counts also carry serious penalties because prosecutors allege he used a gun during some encounters. Assistant U.S. attorneys Sharad Khandelwal and Rebekah Saunders are prosecuting the case. The FBI conducted the investigation with help from the Houston Police Department. The next filings are expected to address scheduling, detention and how the new indictment affects earlier counts.
The parks named in the investigation stretch across busy parts of Houston, including Cullen Park, a large west Houston green space with wooded areas, trails and parking lots. The allegations center on nighttime encounters, when prosecutors say Ellis used the setting and his city role to isolate people. Beedee said the encounter at Cullen Park was “super violating” and described being forced to show his body while under threat. Federal officials have framed the case as both a public corruption matter and a civil rights prosecution because the alleged crimes were tied to government authority.
Ellis remains jailed as the expanded case moves forward. The superseding indictment, unsealed May 19, adds four alleged victims and keeps the focus on conduct prosecutors say occurred before his June 2024 arrest.
Author note: Last updated May 20, 2026.