DENVER — A grand jury returned a 20-count indictment against a husband and wife for an alleged contractor fraud scheme where they accepted payment to make home repairs around Pueblo following a hailstorm in 2021 and then disappeared without completing any of the work.
Kevin Christopher Herrera and Amanda Marie Herrera of Soco Roofing, Inc. were both indicted on April 12, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser announced on Monday morning. According to the 14-page grand jury indictment, the couple signed contracts with multiple people in the Pueblo area for roof replacement and other home repairs following a hailstorm in the spring of 2021. Once the homeowner received their insurance payment, they gave those funds to Soco Roofing, and it was deposited into the company's bank account, the attorney general's office said.
However, the company and Herreras never began any of the contracted work.
Many of the clients were older and at-risk people. None of them received a refund of their insurance funds. The total estimated loss was listed as $51,307 in the indictment, the attorney general's office said.
“It is illegal for a contractor to take payments from clients for a project and then fail to complete those projects. Moreover, state law requires contractors to hold the client’s money in a trust and to spend the funds on the client’s project,” Weiser said. “Contractor fraud causes significant harm for the victims and our communities. My office remains committed to ensuring that the defendants involved in this alleged criminal fraud scheme (are) held fully accountable for their actions.”
The Herreras have been charged with racketeering and conspiracy under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act — both class 2 felonies — as well as felony theft, including theft against an at-risk person, felony tax evasion, and failure to file a tax return or pay tax, a misdemeanor.
Both defendants are out on bond and scheduled to appear in court on May 28.
The Attorney General’s Special Prosecution Unit, the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Criminal Tax Enforcement Section, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau investigated this case.
If you believe you are the victim of contractor fraud, you can contact your local police department and file a complaint here with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office.
Last hail season broke records in Colorado. Watch more below:
