SAN ANTONIO – Convicted felon Carlos Elizondo has been in and out of jail the past 12 years and remains on probation in Bexar County through the summer of 2028.
Despite his criminal defense attorneys twice telling judges that Elizondo promised to no longer work as a contractor, he has continued to work as a contractor.
KSAT Investigates last month tracked down Elizondo in a North Side neighborhood, after getting a tip that he was working on a fence in the front yard of a home.
Elizondo did not respond to multiple questions from reporter Dillon Collier and instead loaded up his equipment and drove off with lumber sticking out of the back of his truck.
Jessie Pyles, a disabled Army veteran, and his wife Caroline Born hired Elizondo in February to repair and refinish their back patio. The $1,800 project called for Elizondo to flip over and refinish usable boards, replace damaged ones and build new steps.
Instead, Pyles said, Elizondo collected payments before disappearing from the job at their North Side home this spring.
The couple said they were unaware of Elizondo’s criminal history when they hired him.
Pyles said he later searched the contractor’s name online and discovered KSAT’s previous investigations into complaints from homeowners across the San Antonio area.
“I typed in his name and it autofilled to San Antonio, and it brought up all your news reports,” Pyles said.
The unfinished deck is the latest criminal allegation involving Elizondo, whose history with customers and the criminal justice system has been the subject of repeated KSAT Investigates reports.
Two weeks after KSAT Investigates questioned Elizondo, San Antonio police issued a warrant for Elizondo’s arrest in connection to the Pyles’ job.
Elizondo collected payments from Pyles then did minimal work and failed to complete the promised work, the warrant states.
The convicted thief was taken into custody earlier this month.
Elizondo, who is again free on bond, is charged with theft of property less than $2,500 with two or more prior convictions.
He is scheduled for a preindictment hearing on Jan. 25, court records show.
The first requirement of Elizondo’s ongoing felony probation is that he not commit any criminal offense.
The most recent arrest will most likely trigger a motion to revoke his probation, which he agreed to as part of a 2023 plea deal with prosecutors.
As of Tuesday, however, no motions had been filed, court records show.
Officials with the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office told KSAT via email Tuesday, “Our office is aware of the current situation but is unable to provide further comment at this time. Thank you for your understanding.”
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