Husband-wife team indicted in contractor fraud scheme targeting Pueblo residents
May 13, 2024 (DENVER)—The statewide grand jury returned a 20-count indictment against a married couple for allegedly carrying out a contractor fraud scheme following a hailstorm in the Pueblo area in the spring of 2021, Attorney General Phil Weiser announced today.
The alleged criminal scheme followed a particular pattern of activity. According to the grand jury indictment returned on April 12, Kevin Christopher Herrera and Amanda Marie Herrera with Soco Roofing, Inc., signed contracts with several Pueblo residents for roof replacement or other home repair services. After the homeowner received insurance payment, they provided these funds to Soco, which were then deposited into a Soco bank account. No contracted work was ever done despite Soco and the Herreras receiving these funds which, under state law, were supposed to be held in trust for the designated projects.
None of the victims received a refund of their insurance funds. Several of the fraud victims were older, at-risk Puebloans. The total estimated loss amongst the victims named in the indictment is $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,” said Weiser. “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 our held fully accountable for their actions.”
The Herreras are charged with racketeering and conspiracy under the Colorado Organized Crime Control Act, both class 2 felonies; felony theft, including theft against an at-risk person; felony tax evasion; and failure to file a tax return or pay tax, a misdemeanor.
This investigation was made possible by the hard work and dedication of the Attorney General’s Special Prosecution Unit, the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Criminal Tax Enforcement Section, and the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The cases are filed in Jefferson County District Court and the case numbers are 24CR1013 (Kevin Herrera) and 24CR1014 (Amanda Herrera). Both defendants are out on bond and scheduled to appear in court on May 28.
A grand jury indictment is a formal accusation that an individual committed a crime under Colorado laws. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
If you believe you might be the victim of contractor fraud, file a complaint with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and contact your local police department. For more information on how to detect and avoid becoming a victim of contractor fraud, visit StopFraudColorado.gov.
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Media Contact:
Lawrence Pacheco
Chief Communications Officer
(720) 508-6553 office | (720) 245-4689 cell
lawrence.pacheco@coag.gov