There are those in the roofing industry who, unlike the many roofing contractors looking to do honest work, try to bilk customers out of hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Some of those unscrupulous contractors, however, are getting their just desserts.
A slew of cases involving roofing contractors defrauding customers made headlines this week, with some facing indictments or prison time for their actions.
Maine Contractor Sentenced to Prison for Theft by Deception
A Waterville, Maine contractor who took thousands of dollars from 24 victims has been sentenced to at least three years in prison.
CBS-affiliated WABI reports that Tony Glidden, who owned Mainely Roofing and Siding, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to theft by deception after being paid for work like roof and window repairs that he didn’t complete.
Complaints were brought against Glidden, 34, since his original pleas in July from Somerset and Hancock counties for similar crimes. According to WABI, district attorneys from those counties allowed the complaints to be consolidated. As a result, the amount of restitution Glidden owes has increased from $115,000 to just over $130,000.
The judge sentenced him to seven years imprisonment, but suspended all but three years. He will then be on probation for three years with several conditions regarding substance abuse and paying restitution. He will be released if he completes this probation, but if not, will go back to prison for four years.
Shield Roofing Owners Indicted on Theft Charges
In Lawrence County, Ohio, WSAZ reports that the owners of Shield Roofing & Construction were listed in a several-count indictment alleging them of theft and fraud.
Luis Escabedo and Jose Cabrelas, owners of Shield Roofing, are each facing two counts of theft from a person in a protected class and two counts of theft. The charges are related to deceiving customers, including elderly homeowners and a church.
In a related story from CBS-affiliated WOWK, court documents claim the company allegedly deceived Union Baptist Church out of $6,700 dollars in cash. The documents also state an elderly couple allegedly lost more than $14,000 to the company.
Oklahoma Roofing Contractor Convicted of Fraud
According to KayNewsCow, and Oklahoma man with a history of scamming customers has been convicted of home fraud charges in Osage and Kay counties.
Kevin James Etter of Newkirk, Okla., waived his right to a jury trial on Sept. 19 and entered a guilty plea in Osage District Court to charges of home repair fraud. One of these charges was filed on Nov. 6, 2015. In that case, Etter entered into a consumer transaction with a Pawhuska resident. The resident gave a $2,050 check but never heard from Etter after providing it.
Warrants have been issued for Etter since 2015 in Kay County after he was accused of defrauding customers in Tonkawa, Ponca City, and Newkirk. On Dec. 12, 2015, he was charged with a felony count of embezzlement related to an incident where a resident paid him $3,900 for a roofing job that was never completed. He was arrested and released on bond.
On Feb. 23, 2016, he was charged with a felony count of false pretense for a bogus check scam. In this case, a Ponca City resident agreed to pay Etter $3,800 for various projects. Over six months, the resident paid $2,270, but Etter only replaced some windows, two doors and installed four pillars.
In November 2016, he is reported to have received $4,100 from a Newkirk resident for a project he never did. Etter entered no contest pleas on Aug. 8, 2022 to the charges and was sentenced to eight years in prison with all but 30 days in the county jail suspended. He was ordered to pay restitution totaling $8,670 and was fined.
