Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office Major Kevin Hanna reports the arrest of 49-year-old Gregory Gager of Pratt Street, Sharon, South Carolina for residential contractor fraud and engaging in business of contracting without a license.
On November 5, 2016, deputies received a complaint from a Prairieville homeowner who stated she hired Gager to repair her home after the August 2016 flood. The agreed contract was executed in September 2016 for repairs in the amount of $19,500. The victim paid Gager in three draws, between September 12 and October 3, totaling just over $17,000 for repairs that was never completed. In late October, Gager contacted the victim via text message telling her he needed additional money from her to complete the repairs. She responded that he had not yet completed the repairs of the $17,000 that she had already paid him.
At this point she never could re-establish contact with Gager. Estimates were then obtained from two independent contractors who determined that the amount of work that was actually completed by Gager, to date, totaled approximately $9,000 to $10,000.
After further investigation, it was learned that Gager is not licensed through the Louisiana State Licensing Board of Contractors, which contractors are required to register with the board in order to perform services in an amount between seven-thousand and $75,000.
Gager was arrested and charged with residential contractor fraud and engaging in business of contracting without a license.
He was booked into the Ascension Parish Jail.