The celebrated founder of Houston’s once-renowned Turkey Leg Hut, Nakia Holmes, has found herself in legal trouble following allegations of concealing a man wanted for serious crimes. This unexpected turn of events has captured public attention, especially given the high profile of the restaurant she established.

Holmes, aged 45, is facing accusations of obstructing justice by aiding Johnathan Saizon, a known felon. Saizon is wanted for reportedly subjecting his ex-girlfriend to a violent assault with a tire iron and detaining her for six hours. These grave charges have added to the dramatic narrative surrounding Holmes’s arrest.

The situation unfolded when deputies from the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, acting on a tip, staked out Holmes’s residence in the Bridgeland area of west Harris County. It was there that they discovered Saizon, who attempted to flee the scene. Court records from Harris County confirm that Saizon had been using Holmes’s home as a hideout.

As a result, Holmes faces a charge of hindering the apprehension or prosecution of a known felon, a significant legal issue that prosecutors claim took place within the confines of her own residence.

Following her arrest by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, Holmes was detained and later released from jail on Thursday morning. This incident has sparked interest due to the involvement of a well-known figure in Houston’s culinary scene.

It’s worth noting that Saizon was already out on bond for other felony charges, complicating the legal proceedings further. The case continues to develop as authorities delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding these serious allegations.

Investigators allege Holmes left the house with Saizon’s mother, telling officers that no one else remained inside. 

But as deputies questioned her during the traffic stop, they reportedly saw Saizon bolting out the back door, leaping over fences before being captured nearby.

The founder of Houston’s Turkey Leg Hut restaurant, Nakia Holmes, 45, was arrested and charged with a felony after allegedly helping hide a man wanted for kidnapping and assault

Launched in 2015 with her then-husband Lynn Price in a parking lot near the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Turkey Leg Hut became a viral sensation

Holmes, 45, is accused of hindering the apprehension of a known felon, identified as Johnathan Saizon, pictured, who was wanted for allegedly beating his ex-girlfriend with a tire iron and holding her captive for six hours

Holmes was taken into custody and booked into the Harris County Jail, later released Thursday morning on a $10,000 bond. 

Holmes then appeared in court on Friday morning to face a charge of felony hindering-apprehension. 

Prosecutors must prove that she knowingly helped conceal a wanted felon. She is not accused of participating in the kidnapping or assault itself.

Saizon, meanwhile, remains behind bars with bond denied because of his prior charges for drug possession and evading arrest.

During a probable-cause hearing, Holmes’s court-appointed attorney, Alissa Cana, argued that the charge was excessive.

‘There’s no evidence that she knew that he had warrants previous to this encounter or that he was wanted on felony charges,’ Cana said, contending that the alleged conduct amounted to a misdemeanor, not a felony. 

Holmes was taken into custody and booked into the Harris County Jail on a charge of felony hindering-apprehension. She was later released on Thursday morning on a $10,000 bond

Holmes appeared in court on Friday morning to face a charge of felony hindering-apprehension

Customers lined up for hours in Houston’s Third Ward to devour enormous smoked turkey legs smothered in shrimp alfredo, dirty rice, or crawfish macaroni and cheese

At its height, the restaurant was selling hundreds of turkey legs a day

Court documents suggest Holmes initially denied anyone was inside before later admitting that she knew Saizon was there and that he had asked her to ‘check if police were around.’

Holmes, who identified herself in court records as the owner of the shuttered Turkey Leg Hut and reported just $700 in assets, has no prior criminal history in Harris County, but the restaurant she built has been mired in controversy for years.

Launched in 2015 with her then-husband Lynn Price in a parking lot near the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, the Turkey Leg Hut became a viral sensation. 

Customers lined up for hours in Houston’s Third Ward to devour enormous smoked turkey legs smothered in shrimp alfredo, dirty rice, or crawfish macaroni and cheese. 

At its height, the couple was selling hundreds of turkey legs a day.

Holmes, owner of the Houston Texas Restaurant Turkey Leg Hut, faces charges of hindering apprehension after she allegedly helped a wanted suspect

The restaurant sparked public debate when it imposed a dress code after complaints about patrons wearing revealing attire. 

Neighbors later complained about overwhelming smoke, prompting a 2024 shutdown by the Houston Health Department for 35 code violations.

Gospel singer James Fortune and his wife sued the owners, saying they had loaned the couple $400,000 to keep the business afloat but were never repaid. 

Earlier this year when Holmes’s ex-husband Lynn Price was indicted on federal arson charges. 

The Department of Justice alleged that Price hired men to torch a nearby bar owned by a rival business partner, causing extensive damage.