Nakia Holmes, 45, best known for her controversial stewardship of Houston restaurant Turkey Leg Hut, just got herself into criminal legal trouble on top of her multiple civil issues. Holmes was arrested for allegedly harboring a felon in her house and lying to the police about it.
The felon, identified by Daily Mail as Jonathan Saizon, is accused of beating his ex-girlfriend with a tire iron and holding her captive for hours. The Harris County Sheriff’s Office had earlier received a tip that Saizon was at Holmes’ residence. At the time, Saizon was free on bond for other charges still being deliberated in court when these new charges were leveled against him. Since the sheriff’s office couldn’t get a warrant to search Holmes’ home, they staked out near her residence, waiting for any sign of Saizon.
Holmes reportedly left the house with Saizon’s mother and assured officers that he was not at the residence. But later, police saw Saizon bolting out of the house, trying to leap over fences around the neighborhood. When they apprehended him, they didn’t just take Saizon in — they also arrested Holmes and booked her at the Harris County Jail.
Holmes was released on Oct. 16 on a $10,000 bond, which would normally sound reasonable for a business owner of her caliber. However, Turkey Leg Hut has been at the center of multiple controversies over the past few years, leaving its finances in a dicey position.
Turkey Leg Hut became popular in 2015 after going viral on social media. Soon, every time they held a pop-up, queues filled entire parking lots. But trouble began when the business transitioned into a permanent outlet. Mismanagement led to 35 code violations with the Houston Health Department.
The true controversy that sparked the restaurant’s downfall came when the establishment imposed a dress code. To be fair, before Turkey Leg Hut made that decision, some patrons had complained that certain guests dressed “too revealingly.” It also didn’t help that the business was sued for unpaid personal debts and that Holmes’ ex-husband, Lynn Price, tried to torch a rival business. Price was later indicted on felony arson charges, just like Jonathan Rinderknecht.
In the aftermath of all that turmoil, court documents revealed that at the time of Holmes’ arrest, she had only $700 in assets. Holmes appeared in court on Oct. 17 to face her felony charge of hindering arrest. Prosecutors’ task is to prove that Holmes knew of Saizon’s fugitive status.
Saizon is currently behind bars without bail — something the court only enforces in especially risky situations. The judge’s reason for denying bail was that Saizon had evaded arrest and faced drug-related charges, which the government is taking particularly seriously.
Holmes’ lawyers argue that the charges against her are excessive and that she deserves a misdemeanor rather than a felony charge. At the height of Turkey Leg Hut’s success, they used to sell up to 100 turkey legs a day, and Holmes is likely trying everything she can to get back to doing business instead of constantly being in and out of court.
