HOUSTON — The FBI wants to hear from potential victims of a former City of Houston park ranger who they say targeted members of the LGBTQIA+ community as well as others at local parks.
According to the FBI’s Houston Division, Joey Lamar Ellis targeted victims at at least three Houston parks but they believe there may be other cases that haven't been reported.
“It’s an alarming case, like I said earlier, because it breaks the public trust," Houston Police Chief Noe Diaz said.
Federal agents said Ellis led victims to believe he was a law enforcement officer. They say he sexually assaulted some victims or forced them to pay him money before he would let them leave the park.
"He would start soliciting, engage with them, they’d broken some sort of law, a violation of a law which there wasn’t, and then he would solicit money from," Diaz said. "He would essentially lock people in with their vehicles."
The FBI said he may have been doing it for years before he was caught.
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“Ellis began working as a park ranger in 2019, and could have potentially have victims spanning from 2019 to present,” Doug Williams, FBI Houston, said. “We know he worked here in Cullen Park. He also worked in Memorial Park and Cleveland Park.”
Federal investigators said potential victims, who may have been extorted or sexually assaulted by Ellis or have information relevant to the investigation, can fill out a form here. You can do so anonymously. Victims may be eligible for certain services, and rights under federal and/or state law.
Houston park ranger's previous arrests
Ellis, who no longer works for the City of Houston, also faces charges of felony official oppression and enhanced sexual assault by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
He was first arrested in June after prosecutors said he approached two men inside a car at Cullen Park and told them he knew what they were there for. He wasn't on duty that night but they said Ellis was wearing his ranger uniform and driving a city vehicle.
One of the men told police that Ellis threatened to take him him to jail unless he stripped naked, confessed to a crime he didn't commit and paid him $300. The man said he didn't have that much money but he gave Ellis $20 in cash and another $200 via CashApp.
Prosecutors said Ellis also told the victim he needed to help lure other men to the park through gay dating apps so he could do the same thing to them.
The man was able to escape and call police.
Ellis’s defense attorney said then that the allegations against his client weren't true.
"Mr. Ellis is an upstanding citizen, never been in trouble in his life and he strongly contests these charges," Wes Rucker said. "And we think as the evidence unfolds, it'll be seen that this was a mistake to bring these cases.”
After the first arrest, prosecutors said more victims came forward, including one who accused Ellis of threatening to have his car towed if he didn't give him money or perform oral sex on him.
He was arrested again in August after allegedly violating the terms of his bond.