Former Turkey Leg Hut Co-Owner Gets Nearly 9 Years In Prison For Arson Scheme

Former Turkey Leg Hut co-owner Lyndell Price received nearly nine years in federal prison after admitting to orchestrating an arson scheme targeting a Houston business, adding another chapter to the troubled legacy of one of the city’s once-popular restaurant brands.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the 44-year-old entrepreneur was sentenced to 105 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit arson at Bar 5015 in Houston’s Third Ward. The sentencing comes after Price pleaded guilty in June 2026. Prosecutors said he directed four individuals to set fire to the commercial property in June 2020 after its owner rejected his offer to purchase an interest in the bar and refused to sell his stake in the Turkey Leg Hut, which Price co-owned with his estranged wife.

The June 12, 2020, fire caused significant damage to the establishment and endangered nearby homes, commercial properties, and the electrical grid. No injuries were reported.

Federal prosecutors said the individuals involved purchased gasoline and gas cans before setting the property on fire. Price subsequently paid the participants for their roles in the scheme. Four other individuals have pleaded guilty to the same conspiracy charge and are awaiting sentencing.

Price addressed his conviction in a statement posted through the Instagram account for his current business, Oyster Hut. He maintained that accepting the plea was not an admission of wrongdoing, writing, “I’ve accepted a guilty plea not because this is something I’ve done but because I know that my purpose is greater than being behind these walls,” Fox 26 Houston reports.

The legal fallout also comes against the backdrop of Turkey Leg Hut’s own business collapse. The restaurant, which became a Houston dining destination after launching in 2015, faced mounting financial and legal challenges before closing its Third Ward location in November 2024. According to KPRC 2, the restaurant’s troubles included bankruptcy proceedings, disputes with former business partners, creditor claims, and financial obligations. The company’s bankruptcy case involved millions of dollars in claims.

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