A Metairie man who has been arrested 3 moments in Jefferson Parish contractor fraud investigations is now accused of scamming a 65-year-old lady who hired him to construct a residence, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Place of work reported.
Working as an unlicensed and uninsured contractor, Ronnie Pazos, 49, is accused of padding receipts and illegally using revenue from the target, together with more than $121,000 from the victim for developing materials he never obtained.
He also allegedly done substandard do the job that will charge the home-owner much more income to repair and certain her to purchase a $5,000 boat he advised her he’d “use as a bargaining tool in working with contractors,” reported Capt. Jason Rivarde, a Sheriff’s Workplace spokesperson.
Ronnie Pazos
Pazos was booked Monday with residential contractor fraud valued at far more than $25,000, felony theft, staying a principal to theft, income laundering, exploitation of the infirmed and partaking in contracting with out appropriate authority, Rivarde mentioned.
“The victim’s full reduction was just around $340,000,” Rivarde claimed.
The girl employed Pazos in August 2019 to build a house in St. Tammany Parish. Rather of contacting himself a contractor, Pazos advised her he would be a “undertaking supervisor,” according to Rivarde.
But Pazos experienced manufactured up the title to get close to the point that he failed to have a contractor’s license, Rivarde mentioned. In spite of that, he acted as a contractor for the home’s development, in accordance to authorities, having to pay himself a $40,000 charge.
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Workplace detectives mentioned they believe that a “predatory” Metairie man who they’ve two times arrested in contractor fraud inves…
The female compensated Pazos $121,000 in cash for building elements, together with lumber and home windows items he by no means basically acquired, Rivarde reported. He also experienced the woman produce a check for $5,000 to acquire a boat and trailer that Pazos confident the lady was required to deal for operate with other contractors, Rivarde reported.
Pazos did extremely simple design at the web site, according to authorities, incorporating fill, positioning a slab and putting in plumbing, for which the female paid out $110,000 for labor.
“The function that he did was improper and had to be redone, which price her an more $60,000,” Rivarde reported.
Pazos’ wife, Tina Pazos, 47, has also been accused of bilking the exact same target, in accordance to the Sheriff’s Place of work. As her spouse was siphoning cash from the girl, Tina Pazos entered into a scheme to get the victim’s unidentified enterprise, Rivarde said.
Tina Pazos billed the victim $700 a week to operate with the girl and “learn the company,” Rivarde reported. But Tina Pazos hardly ever truly did something of price other than obtain about $6,700 from the female, according to the Sheriff’s Business.
Tina Pazos was arrested and booked with theft on Oct. 6. Ronnie Pazos wasn’t booked on any costs linked to the target at that time because detectives have been even now investigating the contractor fraud case, Rivarde stated.
Sheriff’s Place of work detectives beforehand arrested Ronnie Pazos in 2019 and twice in 2021 as part of 3 different contractor fraud investigations. He pleaded not guilty in the 2019 circumstance, but the other two are still getting reviewed prosecutors, in accordance to court information.
No trial date has been set in the 2019 arrest.
Ronnie Pazos was launched Tuesday from the Jefferson Parish Correctional Heart in Gretna in a $110,500 bond, in accordance to Rivarde. He could not be attained for comment.
Rivarde reminded residents that a contractor’s license is essential for any work valued about $75,000 and legal responsibility insurance policy is essential for perform that will expense additional than $100,000.
“I advise any resident choosing someone to do this type of work make confident they are licensed, bonded and insured. They should really be ready to offer that info to you,” he reported.
