>> NOW A NEW LAND OWNER HAS TAKEN OVER AND HE’S FINALLY MAKING SOME PROGRESS IT’S
TONIGHT’S DEFENDERS
INVESTIGATION FOLLOW-UP.
>> THERE’S A LOT HAPPENING ON THIS NEGLECTED AND ABUSED PIECE OF LAND IN
SPRING BRANCH. THE
POLICY-SETTING AND THAT THE
SECURITY PROBLEMS LIKE TRASH,
BUT IT’S NOT LOCAL RESIDENT AND
BUSINESSMAN KEVIN ELLIS IS
THE MAN RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL
THAT ACTIVITY RIGHT HERE IS
WHERE THE BILLS ARE ON THAT
TRUCK, YEAH, THE BILLS WERE
STACKED 30 FOOT HIGH HERE ALL
THE WAY IN SO WE MADE AN
IMPACT.
♪
IMPACT. ♪ AND BACK HERE
ALREADY THAT AND NOBODY CAN
SEE HE RECENTLY BOUGHT THE
PROPERTY AND IS USING HIS
EXPERIENCE CLEARING SITES TO
REMOVE THE MASSIVE MESS WE’RE
HERE TO CLEAN
UP THE EYESORE THAT WE HAVE TO
DRIVE BY EVERY DAY MY FAMILY
GOES TO LITTLE RIVER IN THE
LAKE YOU’RE LOOKING FOR DEALS
AND THE WORD MUSLIM AND 20 SOME
OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY
IN TEXAS IN MY OPINION AND FOR
THIS TO BE HERE IS JUST LIES OR
SO WE’RE GOING TO WORK ON
JORDAN HIGH ABOVE THE 3.6 ACRE
PLOT IT’S EASY TO SEE WHAT
ELLIS HAS ACCOMPLISHED.
>> IN THE SHORT TIME SINCE HE
BOUGHT THE TROUBLED PROPERTY.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN
2018 WHEN WE FIRST STARTED
INVESTIGATING.
>> THE MAN WHO MADE THE MESS
THAT DOCUMENT I CAN
AT THE TIME WILLIAM BILL EASLEY
WAS RUNNING AN ILLEGAL
RECYCLING COMPANY ON THE LAND
THAT HE WAS LEASING.
>> WITHIN 4 MONTHS OF STARTING
WE RECYCLE TEXAS IN 2014
STATE REGULATORS WERE AFTER HIM
FOR NUMEROUS VIOLATIONS IS
PERMIT TO OPERATE WAS
SUSPENDED. BUT EASILY CONTINUE
TO TAKE IN TONS OF MATERIALS.
>> THAT QUICKLY PILED UP
BY 2016 INVESTIGATORS FROM THE
TEXAS COMMISSION ON
ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WERE
VISITING THE SITE IN
2018. THE TEXAS ATTORNEY
GENERAL SUED EASILY AND
LANDOWNER ED RIGHT AND BARRY
THAT SIS.
>> IT’S BEEN A NIGHTMARE AND HE
USED DOING THE SUN AND THEN.
♪
HE HE
♪ HE HE JUST STOPPED RECYCLING STUFF
AND JUST KEPT TAKING STAFF IN A
JUDGE GRANTED THE STATE OF
PERMANENT INJUNCTION AND
ORDERED EASILY TO BEGIN CLEAN
UP THE PROPERTY.
>> WHEN HE FAILED TO COMPLY
EASILY WAS ARRESTED FOR
CONTEMPT OF COURT. TWICE IN
2019
RIGHT AND BARRY ATTEMPTED TO
TAKE OVER THE CLEANUP BUT
QUICKLY FOUND HIMSELF IN WAY
OVER HIS HEAD.
>> HE EVENTUALLY AGREED TO SELL
THE LAND TO ELLIS, WHO HAS MORE
THAN 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE IN
DEMOLITION, A COMMERCIAL SITE
CLEAR. THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF
THE MORE THE WORST OF THE
BIGGEST ONE WE’VE DONE
ONE OF THE WORST ONES ONE THE
♪
JUST JUST.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
IGNORED ENVIRONMENTALLY
PROPERTIES THAT WE’VE EVER
DONE. ELLIS AGREED TO BUY THE
LAND AND TAKE ON THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROPERLY
CLEAN IT UP AS ORDERED BY THE
STATE.
♪
>> THEY TOLD ME WHAT TO EXPECT AND WHAT THEY WOULDN’T PUT UP WITH THEM AND THEY UNDERSTOOD
AFTER A FEW CONVERSATIONS AND
WHAT I WAS DOING AND THEY LET
ME GO TO WORK.
SO LIST ESTIMATES HE’S REMOVED
MORE THAN A 150 TONS OF
MATERIAL.
>> FOCUSING FIRST ON THE STUFF
THAT CAN ACTUALLY BE RECYCLED.
ITEM SOMEONE PAID EASILY
TO TAKE THAT ELLIS IS NOW
PAYING TO HAVE REMOVED. I
THERE’S THERE’S THERE’S PAUL’S
OF THINGS THAT.
>> JUST SCREAM HE WAS BEING AN
UNPROFESSIONAL RECYCLER
IN THEIRS PROBABLY 50,000
REMOTE CONTROLS OVER THERE, BUT
I GOT TO DO IS YOU KNOW ALL
THAT STUFF COMES ON MY POCKET
FOR THE TRANSPORTATION.
SO THAT YOU KNOW THAT LOAD
ALONE JUST TO JUST TO GET GOT
THEIR BACK SOMEBODY.
>> RATHER GRAND KEVIN HAS DONE
A GREAT JOB. HE’S DONE SAY
WAS GOING TO DO SPRING BRANCH
MAYOR JAMES MAY ARE PLEASED TO
SEE THE LAND FINALLY GETTING
THE ATTENTION IT DESERVES.
>> BUT WHAT ABOUT THE MAN THAT
MADE THE MASK
SHOULD HE BE LET OFF THE HOOK
WELL USES HIS BAIL AMOUNT TO
♪
AN EXTENT.
BUT MY MIND THERE THEY’RE STILL
THERE STILL A GO A CRIMINAL
OFFENSE. THAT WAS COMMITTED.
IT I BELIEVE HE SHOULD BE
PURSUED FOR YOU DESERVE TO HAVE
TO PARTICIPATE FINANCIALLY AND
8. HE’S HE CREATED
THE MESS. HE SHOULD HELP PAY
SHOULD HELP REMEDIATE
ULTIMATELY IT’S UP TO THE STATE
TO DECIDE WHAT PENALTY EASILY
COULD FACE BUT FOR NOW IT PUTS
A SMILE ON MY FACE MY DRIVE BY
AND SEE THE PROGRESS AND SEE.
>> IT WAS THE TRUCKLOADS
OF STUFF COMING OUT OF HERE SO
JUST HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO
FINALLY CLEAR THE LAND AND TURN
IT INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE.
>> AND WE WANT IT DONE BY
TOMORROW. IT’S COSTING US A
BUNCH OF MONEY.
WE TRY TO BE SMART ALONG
THE WAY. I WOULD ASSUME THAT
HIM IN THE 4 TO
6 MONTHS RANGE.
>> YOU’LL SEE A SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCE OUT HERE WE’RE GOING
TO DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE WITH
THE PROPERTY
AND IF WE IN TURN DECIDE TO TO
SELL IT THEN.
>> WE’RE GOING MAKE SURE THAT
WHOEVER BUYS CONTRACT WAS IS
BOUND TO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE
FOR THE COMMUNITY.
>> NICE TO FINALLY SEE SOME
PROGRESS OUT THERE ONCE ELLIS
FINISHES CLEANING ALL THAT
DEBRIS. WE’LL HAVE TO TEST THE
SOIL TO SEE IF HE NEEDS TO
REMOVE ANY OF IT DUE TO
POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION BUT SO
FAR HE SAYS HE’S ONLY COME
ACROSS A FEW CONTAINERS OF OIL
IN SOME
OLDER TV SETS THAT COULD HAVE
LEAKED HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS INTO