Unlicensed Roofer Hammered for Not Having Valid Fla. Contractors License in Wake of Charley

Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist announced the arrest of a South Carolina resident for wrongfully soliciting to do roofing repairs in Punta Gorda following Hurricane Charley without a valid Florida contractor’s license.

Four homeowners living in Punta Gorda’s residential zones alerted the Attorney General’s Fraud Prevention Team that Larry Phillips had reportedly offered to patch their leaking roofs for between $200 and $1,200.

The homeowners had agreed to employ Phillips Roofing Company but had second thoughts after seeing news media warnings about out-of-state contractors offering to do cleanup work after the hurricane. The residents, who all received written estimates but paid no money to Phillips, contacted the Fraud Prevention Team, which then alerted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff’s deputies arrested Phillips, 33, of Aiken, South Carolina, on four counts of contracting without a license during an emergency, a third-degree felony. Bond was set at $2,500 for each count.

During the investigation into Phillips Roofing Company, Larry Phillips’ assistant and brother, Gary, 25, was reportedly arrested for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, a first-degree misdemeanor. He was not charged for contracting without a license. His bond was set at $1,000 and he faces up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

If convicted of the third-degree felony, Larry Phillips could be sentenced to 5 years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.

Latest Comments

• December 11, 2004 at 7:50 am

  Craig says:

  I am Licenced in La. and would be willing to optain a Fla. license to work in the Pencecola area, but as I hear it we are not wanted there.According to the paper the people ca... read more
• September 14, 2004 at 10:20 am

  a thankful floridian says:

  Floridians don't think they are better than the rest of the world. We have learned from experience that disasters tend to bring out the worst in people. So many people were ri... read more
• September 12, 2004 at 9:34 am

  jerry leonard jr. says:

  i was reading the info on phillips roofing co. and if you ask me the poor guy was just trying to make a living like a million other contractor out there like me. also, it seem... read more