Fort Bend County tax assessor-collector charged in wire fraud scheme

HOUSTON - A federal grand jury has returned an indictment against three individuals for their alleged roles in a scheme to defraud Fort Bend County through fraudulent payroll practices.

The elected tax assessor-collector of Fort Bend County-Carmen Patrice Turner, 65, Richmond-faces charges involving conspiracy, theft concerning federal program funds, and wire fraud. Also indicted are Shemerrylyn Regina Fields, 47, of Rosharon, and Victor Calvin Ewing, 69, of Houston, whom Turner allegedly hired as part of the scheme.

Turner and Fields are expected to make their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Peter Bray today in Houston. Law enforcement arrested Ewing in Chicago, Illinois, where he is expected to make his initial appearance.

According to the indictment, Turner orchestrated a scheme from approximately September 2023 through September 2025 to use county payroll funds to pay individuals for work they did not perform.

Turner allegedly hired Fields and another individual as deputy tax clerks but directed them to provide care for her elderly mother during regular county work hours. According to the charges, Turner instructed them to clock in and out remotely through the county's telephone timekeeping system while falsely reporting they were performing their official duties.

The indictment further alleges Turner hired Ewing as a full-time department coordinator despite knowing he already worked full-time for a company in Chicago, Illinois, and would not perform the duties of the county position.

Ewing allegedly received a county salary while continuing his employment in Chicago. According to the indictment, he also agreed to transfer a portion of his county payroll deposits to Turner. In one instance, Ewing allegedly transferred money to Turner through Cash App after receiving a county payroll payment.

Turner, Fields, and Ewing allegedly used false timesheets, concealed their actual work activities, and maintained access to county computer systems to create the appearance of legitimate employment.

According to the indictment, Turner also used Ewing's credentials to access WebDealer, a system county tax offices and Texas Department of Motor Vehicles use to process vehicle registrations, while Ewing was working in Chicago.

The charges allege that in one of those "transactions," Turner erroneously approved a vehicle cost of $295,836.92, instead of $29,583.92, causing the dealership a significant error in the assessed sales tax, which is automatically withdrawn from the dealership's bank account.

"Carmen Turner has been strutting around Fort Bend County with the title The Honorable for years. Nothing could be more dis-honorable-or illegal-than her and her conspirators' public corruption," said U.S. Attorney Aaron Reitz. "The people of the Southern District of Texas have my commitment to do everything we can to do justice and make it right. Taxpayers deserve so much better."

"Public service is a privilege, not a right to break the law," said Special Agent in Charge Jason Hudson of FBI - Houston Field Office. "When a public official violates the law, they violate the trust of the citizens they swore to serve and protect. As a public servant myself, my hope is that today's federal indictments and arrests are a step towards restoring that trust. If you have information about public corruption, no matter the official, the office they hold, or the loss amount, please report it."

"Through collaborative effort, justice prevails," said Lieutenant Erik Burse of Texas Department of Public Safety.

If convicted, all three face up to 20 years for each of wire fraud count. They could also receive a maximum of 10 years for theft concerning federal program funds and another five years for conspiracy. Each of the charges also carries a potential fine of up to $250,000.

FBI and Texas Rangers conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carolyn Ferko and Rodolfo Ramirez are prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.