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Man posed as fake 'contractor,' police say
A Volusia County man is accused of defrauding an elderly Port Orange homeowner out of $70,000 after he advertised himself as a contractor who could help repair her home damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
PORT ORANGE, Fla. - A Volusia County man is accused of defrauding an elderly Port Orange homeowner out of $70,000 after he advertised himself as a contractor who could help repair her home damaged by Hurricane Ian in 2022.
Steven Parker, 52, of Daytona Beach, reportedly told a woman that he was a general contractor and could complete repair work on her home that he quoted her for $69,888.
The estimate included drywall replacement, floor replacement, paint and trim, flooring installation, and several other repairs.
The woman gave Parker a $34,944 deposit and then he told her he'd require $17,472 once he was halfway done and another $17,472 when the work was completed. Police said no permits were pulled for the repair work when the money was handed over.
On May 1, Parker claimed he was halfway completed and requested one of the $17,472 payments. The woman and her husband were displaced from the home, so they were unable to see what progress, if any was being made, arrest records show.
Credit: Volusia County Sheriffs Office
The woman's daughter became suspicious that Parker would go to her mother for money since she was the person handling the business contacts due to her mother being elderly, police said.
When she stopped by the home she estimated less than 15% of the work was completed. She hired an attorney who notified Parker he'd need to finish the work in seven days or refund 80% of the funds.
The daughter then realized that Parker was using the general contracting license of another person. Parker reportedly was using a contractor's license of a man with the exact same name as his whose business was located in Cape Coral, police said.
Parker was arrested on charges of impersonating a contractor during a state of emergency, fraudulently obtaining property over $50,000, and impersonating another person without consent.
Port Orange Police ask anyone who feels they may have been victimized by Parker to contact Detective James Fischetti at 386-506-5897.
Anyone who hired Parker to do work on their home and have questions about the quality of the work is asked to call the Port Orange Building Department at 386-506-5602.