Roofing company owners indicted on felony charges for alleged fraud targeting Puebloans
A married couple was recently indicted on 20 criminal charges by a state grand jury for an alleged contractor fraud scheme that targeted Pueblo residents, the Colorado Attorney General's Office announced Monday.
Kevin Christopher Herrera and Amanda Marie Herrera of Soco Roofing are accused of defrauding several Puebloans after signing contracts with them for roof replacement or other repair services following a spring 2021 hailstorm in the Pueblo area. The Herreras face charges of racketeering and conspiracy, felony theft, felony tax evasion and failure to file a tax return or pay taxes, the AG’s office stated in a news release.
According to the indictment, the Herreras allegedly collected insurance payments from homeowners after the contracts were signed but did not perform contract work. The funds were deposited into the Soco Roofing bank account rather than a trust, which is a requirement under state law.
The AG’s office stated that none of the victims received a refund and many of them were older, at-risk Puebloans. The indictment states that the total estimated loss among all the victims was $51,307.
“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,” Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said in the release. “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.”
Kevin Herrera and Amanda Herrera are each listed as registered agents for Soco Roofing, according to Colorado business records. The latter was listed as the registered agent when the company was formed in Pueblo in August 2019, while a separate record shows Kevin Herrera as the registered agent for Soco Roofing, LLC.
The company’s status is listed as delinquent, the records show.
The Herreras are out on bond but are scheduled to appear in court on May 28. Their cases were filed in Jefferson County District Court.
All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in court. Arrests and charges are merely accusations by law enforcement until, and unless, a suspect is convicted of a crime.
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Chieftain reporter Josué Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: Grand jury indicts business owners for alleged contract fraud in Pueblo
