BATON ROUGE, LA (WAFB) -
Homeowners beware. A local
contractor is making the rounds, possibly in your neighborhood. He's not
licensed and residents say he owes thousands. Baker resident Tina Ellwood says
she quickly became a victim after routine roof work turned into her personal
nightmare.
"I don't know how he can look
himself in the mirror knowing he stole my money,"
She says Orlando Johnson, 44,
from Scotlandville took her money on September 26th, then took off.
Elwood says Johnson quoted her
$8,700 for her entire roof, asking for $4,700 up front. She says she paid him
with two checks, and then never saw him again. Her roof has since been finished
by another contractor.
"He's probably been doing it a
long time and I know he's still doing this and he needs to be stopped," she
said.
Records show Johnson had not one,
but two warrants out for his arrest for misapplication of payments. One was
related to the Tina Elwood roofing deal issued on October 4th, and
another for allegedly bailing on another roofing project which we're told he
started back in June.
Elwood says when she called
authorities in early October they were well aware of Johnson's history. In
fact, a deputy brought a photograph of him to Elwood's house.
"If they had picked him up before
September for that first warrant, he wouldn't have done it to me," she said.
Johnson finally turned himself in
on October 20th, just a few days after 9 News began investigating
the matter. This was four months after his original June warrant. He bonded out
of jail the next day. Captain Anthony Ponton with the East Baton Rouge
Sheriff's Office says his team responded as soon as possible.
"The address we had was his
mother's address. Between the cooperation of his mother and attorney, they were
trying to work out when he could turn himself in," he said
9 News asked Johnson to speak
about the matter several times. After calling his four phone numbers and
getting nowhere, we went to an address listed under his name. It's the same
address listed on this warrant issued for him in June, where law enforcement
had trouble finding him.
No answer there either. Johnson
finally called us back but told us he did not want to speak about the cases.
Johnson is no stranger to the Baton Rouge Better Business Bureau. They gave him
an "F" rating for customer service, the worst possible rating.
Michael McDuff is the executive
director of the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors and knows
Orlando Johnson as well. He says Johnson has never been licensed, and it would
be illegal to do any contract work or even advertise. Johnson advertised and
allegedly operated with several business cards under the name Johnson
Construction.
"Pay attention before you do
business with someone who claims to be a contractor. Verify they are licensed.
Get three bids and check references," McDuff says.
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