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Man accused of scamming homeowners

By SHANNON COLAVECCHIO-VAN SICKLER
Published June 23, 2005

TAMPA - Jesus Ojeda went to Tampa police headquarters Wednesday to get a background check and a copy of his fingerprints, saying he needed them for a visa application.

Ojeda left in handcuffs, sent to the county jail for allegedly posing as a licensed contractor to scam South Tampa homeowners out of more than $300,000.

Ojeda, 33, of 3211 W Cherry St. in Tampa, was booked into jail on four felony counts of grand theft, one felony count of organized fraud worth more than $5,000 and one misdemeanor count of acting as a contractor without a license.

Tampa police spokesman Joe Durkin said the department has been looking into homeowners' allegations against Ojeda for the past two months. Police never expected Ojeda to waltz into the Police Department and ask for, of all things, a background check.

"He goes in asking for the background check, and obviously his name raises a red flag," Durkin said. "So we delayed the process while the investigator called the State Attorney's Office. Then we arrested him."

According to police, Ojeda has been claiming to be the owner of Island Construction LLC. He put in bids for various home renovation and expansion projects, presenting himself as a licensed Florida contractor. Police say he is not licensed by the state.

"He'd win the contracts with a low bid, but the bids didn't even cover cost of materials and labor," Durkin said. "So he would take a couple of down payments, start some of the work and then never come back. We're talking thousands of dollars."

Police say they know of four homeowners who got scammed, and they think there are more.

In the 3900 block of Obispo Street, homeowners in May 2004 gave Ojeda $67,000 to start work, investigators said. Two months later, Ojeda took off with $66,000 for a job in the 3000 block of W Chapin Avenue, police said. In December, they said, Ojeda got $55,000 for work on a house in the 3300 block of Walcraft Avenue. In February, he took $48,000 for a job in the 4700 block of W Cherokee Road, police said.

Durkin said homeowners should always check to see whether a contractor is licensed. And it's always smart to ask for a contractor's references, he said.

Anyone with information is asked to call investigator Mike Mitcham at (813) 276-3657.

[Last modified June 23, 2005, 00:44:09]