Texas utility owner has criminal past

DALLAS, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- A Texas electric power entrepreneur with a track record of cutting power to customers was licensed even though he had a felony record, documents indicate.

Ken Weaver, 53, owner of Freedom Power, racked up one of the highest rates of consumer complaints in Texas and the highest number of rule violations of any electricity provider in the state, The Dallas Morning News reported Monday.

Weaver also had a record of felony convictions and a phony resume that touted fake college degrees and sports accomplishments, but none of that was detected by the Texas Public Utility Commission, whose mission is to protect consumers in the deregulated electricity market, the newspaper said.

The PUC, after fining Weaver $21,000 in connection with a few electricity cut-offs that violated state rules against such actions in summer months, took no further action against him even after the Morning News informed it of Weaver's criminal history and false statements.

The newspaper said after it questioned Weaver about his criminal record, he filed documents stating that he had sold his interest in Freedom Power to a trust run by his former wife.