Muncie, Indiana — The two Muncie brothers’ legal troubles only increased with their arrests on home improvement fraud charges.
Philip D. was arrested. Waters, 36, was charged Wednesday with preliminary charges of home improvement fraud and theft.
His brother, Travis Ryan Waters, 33, was also arrested Wednesday on the same two counts and an additional number of corrupt business influence, also known as racketeering.
In the report, John Branson, a Delaware County Sheriff’s Department detective, said the Waters brothers accepted two checks in 2021 from a forgotten man — for $1,000 and $5,853.94 — to repair his house and its roof, which was leaking.
Branson stated that the job was never done.
More: Muncie’s legal troubles are mounting with racketeering, home improvement-related fee fraud
“It’s not job done and (the victim) doesn’t have the money to fix the leaking roof, more than two years later,” he wrote.
In an interview with Branson last week, Travis Waters reportedly admitted that he “didn’t do the work he promised after taking[the victim’s]money.”
The investigator noted that the two brothers – who are said to run the company, Waters Custom Exteriors – had faced previous fraud charges.
Philip Waters was already scheduled to go to trial on February 27 in the Delaware District Court on 10 counts brought against him last October — corrupt business influence, attempted robbery, two counts of fraud and three counts of theft and home improvement fraud.
In this case, he was accused of taking $8,500 from a local 85-year-old man after he agreed to fix the roof and then never did the work. Philip Waters is also accused of taking more than $15,000 from a local woman under similar circumstances.
The two brothers were released from the Delaware County Jail on Wednesday after posting bonds — $10,000 for Philip and $15,000 for Travis.
Delaware County Attorney Eric Hoffman said Thursday that those involved in home improvement scams “typically target seniors or people who are vulnerable to fraud.”
“Home improvement fraud can be devastating to the victim,” he said. “It will probably bankrupt them, and the work they paid for is not done.”
Those in need of home repairs, Indiana Attorney General Todd Roqueta and the Indiana Home Builders Association suggest, “Ask family, friends, and colleagues about contractors they’ve used that have done a good job.”
They also recommend checking with the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division — at https://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/consumer-protection-division/ — and the Better Business Bureau for information about contractor complaints before signing a contract or paying. .
Douglas Walker is a reporter for the Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.