Houston-area roofing business owner arrested in Florida for allegedly doing unlicensed repair work after Hurricane Ian – Houston Public Media

(AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

The owner of a Houston-area roofing firm is dealing with prison fees in Florida for allegedly doing unlicensed business there in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian.

Terence Duque, 48, the owner of Rosenberg-based Duque Roofing, was arrested Oct. 7 and charged with participating in contracting business with out certification throughout a state of emergency, a felony, in line with on-line court docket information in Charlotte County in southwestern Florida. Duque bonded out of jail that very same day and is scheduled to seem earlier than a Florida choose on Nov. 7, court docket information present.

The announcement of Duque’s arrest by native authorities in Florida, which urged his firm was trying to victimize individuals who had been impacted by the latest storm, prompted backlash from social media customers who stated Duque Roofing as a substitute seemed to be serving to to meet a necessity for repairs and development work in the wake of the pure catastrophe. The firm operates in Texas and Louisiana and has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2010, the yr after it fashioned, in line with its on-line profile with the bureau.

An Oct. 9 Twitter publish by the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, which confirmed Duque being handcuffed by a Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputy, prompted a Twitter person to answer, “Are you aware that you’re the bad guys?”

Media relations representatives for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR) didn’t instantly reply Thursday to requests for remark and extra information.

Duque didn’t instantly reply to an interview request made Thursday by means of his firm. A girl who answered the cellphone at Duque Roofing, talking concerning the help it has obtained on social media, stated, “We appreciate all of it.”

During a State of Emergency, working with out correct licensure is a felony. Thanks to #DBPR‘s Division of Regulation’s exhausting work in impacted areas, @CCSOFLSheriff arrested an unlicensed roofing employee placing Floridians in danger. Read extra at https://t.co/7nKipJ4l7M. pic.twitter.com/HAHSKwiZZx

— Florida DBPR (@FloridaDBPR) October 9, 2022

A possible trigger affidavit filed in court docket exhibits that an investigator with DBPR contacted the financial crimes unit of the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 7 and stated Duque Roofing had been recognized as a contractor that was not licensed to conduct business in Florida. The firm had allegedly entered right into a contract with a home-owner in the coastal city of Cape Haze, Florida, in line with the affidavit.

Representatives of the sheriff’s workplace and state company met Duque at a Cape Haze neighborhood middle the place the corporate had parked branded vehicles and trailers, in line with court docket information. Duque allegedly informed them he had learn an emergency order issued by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and was below the impression that out-of-state contractors have been being allowed to work in Florida in the aftermath of the hurricane, which was not the case, court docket paperwork present.

Duque additionally informed the investigators that certainly one of his workers had referred to as the DBPR and obtained permission for the corporate to function in Florida, however couldn’t title the DBPR consultant who spoke along with his worker, in line with court docket information.

“Ignorance is not an excuse,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell stated in a news launch about Duque’s arrest. “If you are in Charlotte County, doing business with the people of this community, you had better be on the up-and-up and have the appropriate licensing and insurance. These people have been through enough, and I will not allow unlicensed contractors to further victimize them.”

According to its web site, Duque Roofing does residential and industrial roof development and repairs together with gutter work, and has a sister house enchancment business referred to as Brushstrokes Painting and Remodeling.

Duque Roofing’s web site additionally has a hurricane aid web page the place potential clients are requested to enroll for its “Tarp List.” Those on the listing shall be contacted by the corporate if a storm hits their space, in line with the web site, which says those that join “are not obligated to use our services.”

“Being on our list will help you avoid scammers who often show up after storms hit and it will ensure you get tarped as soon as possible, so we can protect your asset and personal belongings,” the corporate says on its web site.