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Shreveport, Louisiana is a great place to live. However, if you are caught committing a crime, no matter how trivial, this picturesque city will penalize you for the crime. Louisiana like other states in the United States does not condone illicit behavior and will penalize offenders based on the evidence filed against them. Thus if you are arrested because of contractor fraud or any other fraud at that, you will be punished for the offense. This means that you’ll need an attorney to defend you during your hearing in court.
Maybe not as rampant as other crimes in Shreveport, the contractor crime is a serious offense which carries serious consequences. This crime is a particular area of interest for the Carl Barkemeyer, Criminal Defense Attorney firm, and Mr. Carl Barkemeyer is well-experienced in defending the case. If you or any of your associates are arraigned for this crime in Shreveport, don’t waste time; call Mr. Call Barkemeyer. Failure to hire an aggressive lawyer to defend your case may expose you to the highest punishment possible. You should know, however, that a contractor fraud crime is not the end of the world. With Mr. Carl Barkemeyer whispering the words of wisdom into your ears throughout your trial you can spin the case in your desired direction.
The state of Louisiana defines Contract Fraud as the misuse or willful removal of a valuable item(s) that belongs to another individual without the owner’s consent. You’ll be liable to Louisiana’s reservation as regards this crime if you are caught taking or misappropriating another person’s valuables through fraudulent schemes. You may also incur the punishments purported for the offenders of this crime if you are caught in the following acts;
if you are contracted for a job and you fail to perform the task 45 days after you have received payment for the Job. That is unless the contract binding you and your employer specify a longer period for the commencement of the project.
If you use or inspire your agents/employees to use a fraudulent practice, pretense, or fake contract to entice another person to sign a contract for remodeling or construction. In order words, you’ll be liable for the contractor fraud if you or your employees (with your consent) defrauds a person that has contracted your services through pretense.
if you damage someone else’s property or valuable to induce such an individual to enter into a contract with you for the remodeling or reconstruction of the damaged property.
If you intentionally misrepresent or falsify facts on your application for a state permit.
if you refuse to get or update the licenses required to carry out your contractor duties, as required by the provincial laws.
If you employ an agent who does not have a legal permit to participate in general construction or improvement despite knowing the subcontractor does not possess the right license.
The potential punishment for Contractor fraud, albeit not the most grievous we have seen, is very serious in Shreveport. In most cases, the contractor fraud offender is convicted based on the monetary value of the item(s) misappropriated or removed from a site illegally. In this way, offenders arraigned for misappropriating low-priced assets will be asked to pay meager cash fines. Likewise, convicted offenders of the contractor fraud crime, who were caught embezzling valuables from another person’s property will be faced with heavier cash fines.
Amounts less than $1000
The third section of the Louisiana 14:202.1 revised statutes, which is the law guiding the conduct of a residential contractor spells out the potential punishments for a contractor fraud conviction. According to RS 14:202.1, contractors who intentionally misappropriate or misuse properties worth less than $1000 will be subjected to a cash fine of up to $1000 or be sentenced to prison for not more than 60 months, or both.
Amounts more than $1000 but less than 5000
On the other hand, if the property or properties misappropriated are valued less than $1000 but less than $5000, the potential cash fine will not exceed $10000. However, the defendant may incur a jail term of up to 5 years, which may include hard labor. In some other cases, the defendant can incur the cash penalty as well as the prison sentence.
Amounts more than $5000
If the amount taken or misappropriated during the execution of a construction or improvement project is estimated to a sum of $5000 or more, the offender will suffer a cash fine of up to $10,000. A prison sentence of up to 10 years with or without hard labor may also be imposed on the offender. Depending on how damaging the case filed against you is, you may incur the cash fine and jail term as well.
How will the court determine the amount misappropriated by a contractor you may ask? Well, the court will calculate the cost of fixing the deceptively performed projects and the cost of executing the unfinished project left untended by the contractor. What’s more, the offender will be asked to make full restitution for the amount taken or misappropriated to the concerned party or parties. This restitution will include the cost of repairs and the cost of completing the abandoned or mismanaged project.
If ever you are accused of a contractor fraud crime in Shreveport, Louisiana, call Mr. Carl Barkemeyer.
Carl Barkemeyer, Criminal Defense Attorney has a long list of accomplishments when it comes to contractor fraud cases. So if you are looking to secure the most favorable outcome for your court case, don’t waste any more time deliberating on who to call. The entryways at the Carl Barkemeyer, Criminal Defense Attorney firm are opened to you at Shreveport, and we are ready to work on your case. Contact Mr. Barkemeyer today, for an unbiased trial and the team of experienced lawyers at Carl Barkemeyer, Criminal Defense Attorney will work on the ideal defense for your case.
H. Taylor - Baton Rouge, Louisiana
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