Former TDCJ supervisors arrested in scrap metal theft investigation
The Facts, By Taylor Walton, September 4, 2026
Ex-maintenance workers stole items, sold them as scrap, investigators say
Two former Texas Department of Criminal Justice maintenance supervisors face charges following an investigation into the theft of state-owned scrap metal and wire.
Patrick Jay Beacom, 67, and Ray Anthony Edge, 59, were arrested Aug. 14 by the TDCJ Office of Inspector General, or OIG, and released the next day, according to Brazoria County jail records. Both men worked as maintenance supervisors for TDCJ’s Region III Maintenance division, based at the Ramsey Unit in Rosharon.
The arrests stemmed from an OIG investigation that led to the arrests of two now-former TDCJ employees, James Bodine and Devin Richards, TDCJ Communications Director Amanda Hernandez said.
All four men face charges related to the theft of material from the state agency for personal financial gain.
Jail records reveal an unusual timeline for the offenses.
Beacom’s employment with TDCJ started in July 2020, and his jail record lists Aug. 11, 2021, as the offense date for theft of property valued between $30,000 and $150,000.
Hired in November 2023, Edge’s arrest record lists Jan. 14, 2022 — before his employment began — as the date he is accused of stealing aluminum, bronze, copper or brass valued under $20,000.
Richards’ offense date is listed in jail records as July 25, 2022. He is charged with theft of property valued between $30,000 and $150,000.
The charges against all three include an enhancement that prosecutors could pursue if they prove the men used their employment to gain control of the stolen property.
The investigation became public after a Facebook post by “TDCJ Troll,” a social media account reporting on agency issues. Its claims could not be verified by The Facts and a copy of the OIG’s investigation had not been provided as of Friday afternoon.
“Further questions about the crime and investigation should be referred to the Office of Inspector General,” Hernandez said.
The Facts filed an open records request with the agency but has not received a response.
The exact location of the arrests remains unclear. Because the arrests were a direct booking and jailing handled by the OIG, the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office reporting system does not list the arrest location, Public Affairs Director Sabrina Quintanilla said.
According to the TDCJ website, when the OIG handles an outside arrest and brings the individual directly to a county facility for holding, the local agency’s role is strictly custodial rather than investigative.
Edge and Beacom both bonded out of the county jail after posting $20,000 and $25,000, respectively. Richards also is free on $25,000 bond, county jail records show.
No arrest or bond information about Bodine could be found.
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