Three Arrested for Contractor Fraud in La.

Louisiana Attorney General Charles C. Foti, Jr. announced the recent arrests of three individuals on charges of theft related to contractor fraud.

Arrested Sept. 11, 2007, in Kalamazoo, Mich., Gary Lee Healy, operating as Healy Construction Company, allegedly received $14,000 in January 2006 from a homeowner to repair their hurricane damaged Kenner residence. The AG’s office alleges he fled the area without purchasing any of the materials or performing any work but returned the following month to the greater New Orleans area and took $13,000 from a New Orleans resident to repair kitchen cabinets. Again, Healy allegedly fled the area without providing any materials or performing any work. Healy was booked into Orleans Parish Prison on Sept. 20 and will be held without bond until the date of trial.

Edmund R. Leblanc of Baton Rouge was arrested on Sept. 26. The AG’s office alleges that Leblanc received $41,500 in April 2007 from a Prairieville resident to construct an addition to their home. About three weeks later a subcontractor did $3,500 in work and invoiced Leblanc for that work. Leblanc allegedly never returned to complete any other work nor did he pay the subcontractor for their work on the site. Leblanc was booked into Ascension Parish prison.

Lawrence Gabriel of New Orleans was arrested Sept. 21 and booked into Orleans Parish Prison. The AG’s office reported that in December 2006, Gabriel received a $2,400 dollar deposit to install a five ton air conditioning unit on a hurricane damaged New Orleans residence. Lawrence allegedly returned to the home and attempted to install a possible stolen three ton unit with the serial numbers scratched off. After being told by the victim that the unit was unacceptable, Gabriel allegedly removed the unit from the property and never returned to the jobsite nor returned the money to the victim.

Source: Louisiana Attorney General’s Office