Cy-Fair company accuses Spring entrepreneur of theft, misappropriation of trade secrets

A Cy-Fair company is suing its former office manager, claiming he breached his position of trust to steal company equipment and trade secrets.  

Cy-Fair‘s American Rodsmiths Inc. filed a lawsuit on July 12 in Harris County District Court against Brett Crawford and Robert Brown, of Spring, citing breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, civil theft and conversion.

American Rodsmiths says that its former office manager, Brown, breached his fiduciary duty by abusing his position of trust to steal approximately $87,000 worth of the company’s equipment. The suit also alleges that when American Rodsmiths began negotiating with Crawford to sell the company, Brown underhandedly disclosed confidential information to Crawford, causing the deal to fall through.

According to the brief, Brown and Crawford used American Rodsmiths’ confidential information and trade secrets to start their own competing business.

The plaintiff is seeking actual and exemplary damages, as well as attorney’s fees and court costs. It is being represented in the case by Huntsville attorney J. Hans Barcus.

Harris County District Court Case No. 2011-41090.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at the Harris County Courthouse. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note, a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt, and it only represents one side of the story.