Houston Duo Accused of $1M Drilling Tech Heist

HOUSTON – A pair of former employees at a Houston-based drilling technology company are facing federal charges after allegedly pilfering over $1 million from their previous employer. The scheme, spanning from December 2022 to June 2024, involved manipulating the company’s payment system to funnel funds into accounts controlled by the accused.

Kendra Blake, also known as Kendra Walker, 37, of New Caney, is now in custody following an indictment unsealed today. She appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bryan at 10 a.m. Also charged is James Tillotson, 37, of Baytown, who has already made his initial appearance in federal court. The indictment alleges a conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud itself, and conducting monetary transactions in criminally derived property.

Federal prosecutors claim Blake and Tillotson abused their positions of trust within the drilling tech firm. The indictment details how they allegedly altered bank account information within the company’s payment infrastructure, redirecting funds for their own benefit. Blake, according to the charges, allegedly established a shell company, LL2L Trucking, and fraudulently added it as a vendor to the company’s system. This allowed her to direct sham payments to LL2L Trucking and other accounts she and Tillotson oversaw.

The feds aren’t stopping at embezzlement. Tillotson faces an additional charge of making false statements on a mortgage application, potentially adding years to his potential sentence. This suggests investigators are digging deeper into his financial dealings beyond the initial theft from the drilling company. The investigation, conducted by the FBI, suggests a calculated effort to conceal the illicit funds and benefit personally from the fraudulent activity.

If convicted on all counts, both Blake and Tillotson face a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison and a hefty fine of $250,000. However, Tillotson is looking at a significantly longer potential stretch – up to 30 additional years – if found guilty of the mortgage application fraud. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shirin Hakimzadeh is leading the prosecution.

Editor’s Note: This matter occurred on the date indicated, but was not published at that time due to the recent government shutdown. This press release has been posted and is now available following the resumption of normal government operations. It’s crucial to remember that an indictment is merely a formal accusation. Both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty through due process of law.

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