Inmate runs ‘Really Tough Halfway House’ from county jail

Jefferson County Correctional Facility (JCCF) inmates scrolling county-provided communication tablets seeking services to better themselves when released – until recently – were offered a reference to a “really tough” halfway house that, in reality, returns to an inmate-owned slum in Beaumont, as confirmed by The Examiner.

“BK,” a confidential source conceding that failing to address municipal warrants resulted in a recent stint at the county jail, told The Examiner that he requested an inmate tablet from the jailer to search out after-release services while he was a begrudged guest of the facility in October. In addition to the usual tabs linking to references for providers of AA meetings, mental health services and halfway houses, was a curious little tab dubbed “Really Tough Halfway House.”

Clicking through to check out what is classified as “really tough” in halfway house standards, BK was shocked by what was detailed on the screen. The “really tough halfway house,” Half Measures, turns out to be a place well known to BK, as is the business’ owner, Billy Lynn Woolley, who just so happened to be locked up in the same jail awaiting judgment on a string of felony allegations including sexual assault and pending charges alleging theft from a government program.

“A couple years ago, I went there,” BK said of Half Measures, a property advertised as a halfway house on Old Dowlen Road. “It’s these old, small buildings; (Woolley) puts an AC and a cot inside of it, then he’ll double rent, or triple it, and you’ll just have to pay it.”

BK said he has known Woolley for decades through AA and could have been added to the “Billy Woolley horror stories” bantered about the alcohol recovery community, were it not for his then-AA sponsor.

“Billy tried to do a number on me financially,” BK shared of his experience. According to the former Half Measures resident, Woolley unceremoniously increased the rent, and offered an ultimatum that could have thrown the recovering addict off course. “He said I had to pay or he was locking me out. Luckily, my sponsor was with me at the time I got the call, and he ended up taking me to the H.O.W. Center.”

Current posted rates for Woolley’s halfway house are $400 for the first week for residence in either an 8x12 or 10x10 “private cube.” The tenement has AC and electricity, but no word is made of bathroom facilities.

Appalled at Woolley’s continued predation on those needing halfway house services, and the boost to customer access provided by what is essentially an ad at the county jail, BK decided to make some calls when he was released from lock-up.

“I didn’t think it was right. He’s in jail, advertising for his business at the jail,” the former Half Measures tenant balked, adding that he took his concerns to the Beaumont Police Department, to no avail. After being transferred through several departments at BPD, BK was finally given closure – kind of. “They said they couldn’t do anything about advertisements at the jail.

“There’s no crime there.” Dejected at the police department, BK called The Examiner. Checking out the information through Jefferson County Sheriff Zena Stephens, the intel from BK proved to be true – much to the chagrin of the sheriff.

Stephens said Woolley’s halfway house being included on the jail resources tablet was a flaw introduced into a system that has been a tremendous asset since acquisition.

“The tablets are good,” Stephens said, even if user error goes awry.

The tablets, aside from deterring mailed-in contraband by eliminating paper mail, serve as incentive for inmates staying at the county jail. Among the tablets’ many uses, inmates can use them to make phone calls, e-message, access education material and law libraries, job search, watch TV, listen to music, play games, Zoom with family and attend religious services. Most of the material added on the tablets is provided by a third party – unfortunately, the “Really Tough Halfway House” tab was not one of them.

According to Stephens, a jail employee no longer serving in that capacity, populated the services pages with material pulled from the internet, without permission from the sheriff or tablet provider.

“Nothing should be posted on those tablets other than what we bought,” Stephens said, and confirmed the inmate services tab no longer lists Woolley’s business as a referenced recovery provider. “An employee passionate about helping inmates … did not know it was operated and owned by someone incarcerated at the jail.

“She was trying to put resources out there for people who need them. But that’s why we have policies for how things are done. Sometimes when you’re trying to do good, you can’t see how these things can go wrong.”

As a local “slumlord” amasses victims and charges, including sexual assault and rental assistance fraud, the accused predator and a few of his victims detailed their accounts to The Examiner. Billy Lynn

Bonds in excess of $200,000 presented for Woolley’s five unresolved felonies and one misdemeanor for indecency with a child, sexual assault, aggravated assault, assault/family violence (one misdemeanor, one felony) and securing the execution of a document by deception were revoked last year when Woolley picked up another alleged felony while on bond.

As of press time, BK was no longer in the custody of JCCF; Woolley is still being held pending trial with no bond.