BOSSIER Metropolis, La. – A neighborhood household contractor that KTBS has featured in two investigative experiences this 7 days is in jail.
Bossier Town law enforcement issued an arrest warrant for Richard Paul, 66, and he surrendered to authorities Thursday. He was booked into Bossier Optimum Safety Facility and is held on a $45,000 bond.
South Bossier Parish household that remains unfinished by Richard Paul’s business.
KTBS 3 Investigates reporter T.W. Starr has been looking into Paul and his business enterprise, People’s Selection Flooring and Reworking, for the past few months. The investigation was sparked by problems named in by viewers about Paul’s small business tactics.
Home owners scattered through the ArkLaTex say Paul and 1 of his contractors, Todd Coleman, were paid to do home repairs but did not adhere to via. A Shreveport girl said she paid out the corporation $74,000 in July 2020. And a Coushatta lady said she misplaced $30,000, whilst a plumber said Paul owes him $7,000.
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Bossier Town police spokesman Lt. Bart Cavanaugh said Paul’s arrest stems from do the job not finished for a property owner on Radbrook in south Bossier City. The homeowner had storm injury and Paul believed repairs at $112,000. The homeowner compensated Paul $60,000 up entrance.
Paul is alleged to have induced extra hurt although functioning on the house by slipping as a result of the ceiling several instances. The home then endured much more problems when another storm rolled by means of.
Right after several months of trying to get Paul to full the occupation, the property owner filed a complaint with Bossier City law enforcement. The house owner advised investigators Paul admitted to not having cash to pay out her again or to full the career, Cavanaugh stated.
Paul is not even permitted to do that variety of do the job, Cavanaugh stated. Paul is only permitted by the state to do non-household do the job up to $70,000 in value.
KTBS talked with Paul twice on the cellphone. He canceled a scheduled on-digital camera interview on the early morning it was to consider place. Starr created many excursions to Paul’s office on Youree Drive but no one particular was there.
Todd Coleman
Tommy Wimbley, one particular of the home owners who claimed he compensated Paul’s contractor, Coleman, $11,000 for operate that was in no way accomplished, recorded his conversation with Paul on his mobile mobile phone. Paul is recorded as expressing he was going to just take care of the undone do the job on Wimbley’s residence. Wimbley’s reaction: “You been telling me that for the final 5 months.”
Wimbley blames Coleman as currently being the “mastermind” behind the problems with the enterprise and describes Paul as a “contractor with a license to steal.”
As KTBS documented Thursday, Coleman is a convicted felon, obtaining been twice convicted of property advancement fraud. He’s been ordered to shell out restitution of about $36,000 to two victims.
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Bossier Town police say any other home owners in the city who have unfinished get the job done by way of contracts with Paul or his business ought to speak to them and file experiences.