Kenosha Plumbing Giant Tampered With Water Meter, Resulting In Lower Water Bill: Kenosha Water Utility

Copied!
Residential Water Meter
(Photo by Kevin Mathewson, Kenosha County Eye)

Lee Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electric, Inc., most commonly known as Lee Plumbing, or Lee Mechanical is owned by Bob Lee, Jr – before that Bob Lee, Sr. According to a government website, Lee Plumbing took out almost $2.2 Million is PPP loans that were later forgiven.

Paid Advertisement
Brandon Quinn, COO Lee Mechanical (Lee Plumbing)

Lee Plumbing’s Chief Operating Officer, Brandon Quinn, is expected to go on trial next year in Racine County for a felony count of OWI (4th). Lee also hired the disgraced former City Administrator, Frank Pacetti after he left the City of Kenosha. The Racine Sheriff’s office asked the Racine DA to charge Pacetti with two felonies for misconduct in public office for allegations stemming from his position at the City of Kenosha.

Paid Advertisement
Kenosha Water Utility General Manager Curt Czarnecki

KCE received a tip about something amiss with Lee Plumbing and their water meter. KCE made contact with Kenosha Water Utility General Manager Curt Czarnecki, who explained what happened. He told us that Water Utility staff visited the business earlier this year to complete a meter test. These tests are required to be performed by the Wisconsin Public Services Commission. “Upon arrival KWU staff observed plumbing that had been tampered with allowing water to bypass the water meter. Upon observation of this violation, the customer was required to bring the plumbing up to current code. Consumption history clearly indicated when the tampering occurred and therefore the customer was back billed based on historical average use.”

Paid Advertisement

KCE is told the new system now has a lock on it, and only the City has the key. We are unable to determine exactly how much water wasn’t billed for. The State of Wisconsin doesn’t make water bills a matter of public record due to privacy issues. We do know, however that the number is significant, as the company allegedly uses water tankers for some projects.

Paid Advertisement

We reached out to Lee plumbing and didn’t receive a response.

Paid Advertisement

Author

Copied!
LATEST NEWS

Governor Tony Evers Denies Pardon For Kenosha County Serial Arsonist

Silver Lake, Wis. – Governor Tony Evers (D) has denied the pardon application of 48-year-old Allen M. Dunski, Jr., a former firefighter and convicted serial arsonist from Kenosha County’s west side. The rejection, issued on November 15, 2024, came despite Dunski’s claims of rehabilitation and community service. A letter sent to Dunski by the Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board stated: “While the Governor’s Pardon Advisory Board commends you for the positive strides you have taken since completing

Read More »

Kenosha Man Charged with Repeated Sexual Assault of a Child, Held on $1M Bail

Kenosha, Wis. – A 43-year-old Kenosha man was formally charged today with Repeated Sexual Assault of a Child in Kenosha County Circuit Court. If convicted, Jesus Alcocer-Bautista faces a maximum sentence of 60 years in prison. During his court appearance, Kenosha County District Attorney Xavier Solis requested a $1,000,000 cash bail, citing the severity of the allegations and the need to protect the community. Kenosha County Circuit Court Commissioner William Michel II granted the request and

Read More »
MORE TOP STORIES

10-Year-Old Girl Still Too Terrified To Return To School After Sexual Assault on Bus

**Explicit Content** Kenosha, Wis. — A 10-year-old girl from Nash Elementary School remains too afraid to return to school months after she was allegedly sexually assaulted by two male students on her bus ride home. Despite criminal charges, Title IX investigations, and pleas from the child’s mother, the Kenosha Unified School District (KUSD) has yet to remove one of the accused students from the school, leaving the victim in limbo. KCE first reported on this matter

Read More »

Two Twin Lakes Men Arrested On Child Pornography Charges

Twin Lakes, Wis. – Two Twin Lakes men have been arrested and charged with multiple counts of possession of child pornography following separate investigations by the Twin Lakes Police Department (TLPD) and the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. Arrests and Charges Nathan H. Bollow, 20, and Micah D. Griffiths, 20, were taken into custody in January 2025 after search warrants were executed at their respective residences. Bollow was

Read More »

Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office Welcomes K9 Joy, A Peer Support Dog

Kenosha, Wis. – The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) has a new four-legged recruit. Sheriff David W. Zoerner announced today the addition of K9 Joy, a law enforcement peer support dog, to the department. K9 Joy’s handler, Detective Adam Barnard, is a 10-year veteran of the sheriff’s office, currently serving in the detective bureau as a general assignment detective. Detective Barnard also plays a key role as a lead investigator on the Major Crash Assistance Team

Read More »

Kenosha Judge Reversed Again as Court of Appeals Overturns Child Custody Ruling

Kenosha, Wis. – Kenosha County Circuit Court Judge Chad Kerkman (D) has once again found himself overruled by a higher court. On January 22, 2025, the Wisconsin Court of Appeals reversed a ruling made by Kerkman in a child custody case, marking yet another instance in which his decisions have been overturned—spanning cases from homicide convictions, public records cases, and even termination of parental rights. In the latest reversal, the Court of Appeals sided with a

Read More »

Kenosha Murder Trial: Defendant to Represent Himself in Court

Kenosha, Wis. — “The man who represents himself has a fool for a client.” – Abraham Lincoln. A high-profile murder trial is set to begin later this year, with 35-year-old Tiron M. Washington opting to represent himself despite facing life in prison. Washington is accused of orchestrating the December 10, 2021, assassination of 35-year-old Maximmillion A. Moore in what prosecutors describe as a hit-style execution. A Murder Linked to Federal Gun Investigation According to investigators, Moore

Read More »

KUSD To Host 62nd Orchestra Festival

Kenosha, Wis. – Kenosha Unified School District’s 62nd annual Orchestra Festival will be presented on Saturday, March 8, at 6:30 p.m. at Indian Trail High School and Academy, 6800 60th St. This event will showcase nearly 1,400 elementary, middle, high and charter school orchestra students. Tickets are available at kusd.edu/tickets. Field house seating is $10 (a maximum of 3). Tickets will not be available at the door and field house seating may sell out in advance. The

Read More »

City of Kenosha Employee Charged with Misdemeanor Theft From Taxpayers

Kenosha, Wis. – A City of Kenosha employee has been charged with one count of misdemeanor theft, according to court records. Jamie D. Watkins, a 54-year-old arborist employed by the city, is accused of stealing Menards rebate checks meant for the Parks Department. Watkins is scheduled to make his initial court appearance on February 27, 2025. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of nine months in jail, a $10,000 fine, and possible restitution. City Administrator

Read More »

Casey Family Options Funeral Home Accused of Predatory Practices, Families Speak Out

Kenosha, Wis. – A Kenosha-based funeral home, Casey Family Options Funerals & Cremations, is facing public scrutiny after a family accused its directors of predatory behavior, price gouging, and a lack of compassion during their times of grief. Allegations from Grieving Sisters Two women, Alexis Quirk and Kiki Nicole, recently took to social media and Google reviews to share their troubling experiences with the funeral home. Their accounts describe an ordeal that exacerbated their grief as

Read More »

Vote No On February 18 To Give KUSD $115 Million Dollars: Opinion

Do not miss your chance! You have between now and February 18th to VOTE NO on KUSD’s $115 Million property tax increase. Last week, newly reported national NAEP test scores – also known as the Nation’s Report Card – revealed that 69% of Wisconsin K-12 students cannot READ at grade level. The math scores were nearly just as abysmal. Wisconsin ranks dead last in teaching black students to read, and the opportunity gaps in math are

Read More »

Follow The Money on KUSD Referendum Campaign

Wondering where all of the KUSD referendum propaganda is coming from? Not surprisingly, this aggressive effort to tax you out of your homes is coming from the teachers’ union. People are still struggling to afford gas and groceries, but the teachers’ union believes they deserve more of your hard earned money than you already contribute. It’s in your mailbox, on your social media, and you can’t scroll YouTube without seeing their constant ads. Quite a hefty

Read More »
Categories
Archives
Authors

18 Responses

  1. It is stunning how many wealthy Kenosha developers, business people, and mega-churches received six and seven figure PPP loans. Even regular schmucks got in on the feeding frenzy by getting five figure loans. These people cleaned a few offices. That program will do down in history as one of the most abused and corrupt government programs ever. The wealthy made out like bandits and future generations will be paying for it.

    I suggest that Kevin check the list of PPP recipients report their jackpot anytime he writes a story about a corrupt business seeking even more of an advantage over those of us who follow the rules. Corruption is fully and completely non-partisan.

  2. Though I like Bob personally I have not had good experiences with this company. Staff is rude and unhelpful when you call. And then one time they claimed I needed a new heat exchanger on a fairly new Trane built furnace and gave me a very costly estimate before suggesting that I buy a new furnace. I opened up and envelope and pulled out the warranty. The suggestion of a new furnace suddenly disappeared.

  3. Lee Plumbing contracted for a large local manufacturer and while they were paid to supply all material and labor, it was observed that much customer shop floor material was used for the contracted job. Yup, the customer paid twice for some of the materials.

  4. Lee’s Plumbing is a master plumber. They overcharge everyone. We recently discovered of a shotty job and shortcuts they did after paying them $7,000.

  5. Any smart company would take the PPP money and use it. As for the COO with the 4th OWI….how is that relevant to the story, makes it seem like you just have an axe to grind against this company?

    As for them knowingly stealing from the City…why arent they being fined and charged with a crime?

  6. KCE needs to look closer at this. Lee claimed PPP money using 5 different tax ID numbers. The $2.2M is not even close. The list I was shown puts the number much closer to $5M. All forgivable money but unforgivable scruples

  7. So, who’s under arrest for felony theft? If nobody, who is doing the investigation and can we get any status report? They can Stonewall all they want, but when you’ve got a plumbing contractor who plumbed around its own water meter, it wasn’t an accident and somebody’s got to go down for it. Otherwise, I suppose all of their licenses should be revoked, throwing them out of town in effect, until they make it right. Mark it as a crime scene, and padlock all the doors while we have a 5-year investigation?

  8. 4th DUI ? WTF ? Brandon Quinn is a hot headed scumbag in my opinion. Divorced twice ? Any other CEO in Kenosha would be on the front page of the Kenosha News and on the Milwaukee TV stations. Shame on the meatball Bob Lee Jr in my opinion for the cover up and screwing over the City of Kenosha water utility with the illegal bypass water hook up. Doesn’t seem to go with with all the charitable events and activities he puts his name on ? Maybe now he will learn to get his head out of his ass and keep a closer eye on the company his daddy gave him. A good lesson here for all the other 2nd generation asswipe boys in my opinion whose hardworking parents handed the world to them..

    1. Yep Brandon Quinn threw public record just purchased a new home west of the interstate for $800,000 and he was devoriced twice from the same lady . Ppp money at work and has for his dui’s 2&3 were close together and have been going on for years . More ppp money at work . And still no jail time ….

  9. Wow !! Used to be a nice family business. Guess money blinds even good people. They should try and regain that mind set. Maybe he’ll like his orange jump suit and flip flops. Serves him right. People with money always seem to slip through the cracks like the snakes they are.

  10. Everyone should remember that we live under a constitutional republic. When we forget that we become a banana republic. Let the facts lay as they will. Everyone in America has the right to due process. As a leader of a very large national organization I beg that you give them time. The facts will come out and people will be held to account.

    No one should rejoice in this news as it stains the whole industry, and most importantly; hurts people that may not have been a party to the allegations.

  11. Where there is fire, there is smoke! This sounds like the tip of the proverbial iceberg. What part of any of this sounds like sound business practices from a trusted contractor? Do you want them working in your home? Do you want them working on your furnace? Telling you that you need to replace it and trusting them?

Add a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Categories
Archives
Authors

Subscribe to updates

Get notified of new articles. We'll never share your email address.