MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – A man who authorities say took thousands of dollars from Miami-Dade County residents to perform roofing work, although he wasn’t licensed to do so, has been arrested after failing to finish the jobs, authorities said.
John Luis McQueen, 64, of Miami, was arrested on a warrant Wednesday on charges of organized scheme to defraud, identification fraud, grand theft and contracting without a license during a state of emergency.
According to a warrant, at least four victims were targeted between March 2018 and August 2019, but Miami-Dade police confirmed Friday that they have now identified a total of 13 victims.
The warrant states that McQueen, who used the alias’ “Jeff Nash” and “Jeffrey McQueen,” took between $5,450 to $12,900 from each victim. The checks were made out to a company called “Champion Roof Consultants, Inc.”
In one case, the victim said McQueen failed to complete any of the needed work on her roof, but instead created more holes and damage.
She said she sent text messages to McQueen, which he returned with threatening messages against her.
According to the warrant, a couple who contracted him that same month said he never performed any work and never returned their text messages or phone calls after receiving over $7,000 from them.
Police said a Miami Beach woman hired McQueen in June 2019 to re-roof her guest house, but he took over $8,000 from her and never performed any work and also failed to return her calls and texts.
Finally, another woman from Miami hired him in August 2019 to install a new roof on her home.
Police said he took $12,900 from her and completed some of the work, but never finished.
Authorities said McQueen never responded to the woman’s calls and texts and she ultimately had to hire an actual licensed contractor to finish the job.
In total, McQueen scammed the 13 victims out of about $103,000, police said.
Police said he portrayed himself as a licensed contractor to the victims and fraudulently utilized “the credentials of a legitimate contractor on fake receipts and contracts.”
As of Thursday afternoon, McQueen was being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center without bond.
Police said he also had an arrest warrant out of Kentucky for illegal use of his brother’s identification.
Local 10 News reporter Samiar Nefzi contributed to this story.