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

(AP Photo/Jay Reeves)

The owner of a Houston-area roofing company is facing criminal charges in Florida for operating a business without a license after the hurricane.

Terence Duke, 48, owner of Rosenberg-based Duke Roofing, was arrested Oct. 7 and charged with reckless endangerment, a felony, engaging in unlicensed business transactions, according to online court records in Charlotte County in southwest Florida. Duke was released from jail the same day and is scheduled to appear before a Florida judge on Nov. 7, court records show.

Social media users responded to Duke’s announcement in Florida that his company was trying to prey on victims of the recent hurricanes, saying it appeared to help meet Duke’s roof repair needs. and construction works following a natural disaster. The company operates in Texas and Louisiana and has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau since 2010, the year after it was founded, according to its online profile with the bureau.

An Oct. 9 tweet posted by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation showed Duke being handcuffed by a Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office deputy, with one Twitter user saying, “You know you’re the bad guys?” prompting him to reply.

Media relations representatives for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) did not immediately respond to requests for comment and additional information Thursday.

Duke did not immediately respond to an interview request through the company on Thursday. “We appreciate it all,” said a woman who answered the phone at Duke Rooftop about the outpouring of support on social media.

In an emergency, it is a felony to operate without a proper permit. thanks to #DBPRHard work of the regulation department in affected areas; @CCSOFLSheriff Unlicensed roofer who put Floridians at risk has been arrested. Read more at https://t.co/7nKipJ4l7M. pic.twitter.com/HAHSKwiZZx

— Florida DBPR (@FloridaDBPR) October 9, 2022

Probation testimony filed in court shows that a DBPR investigator contacted the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office’s Economic Crimes Unit on Oct. 7 and identified Duke Roofing as an unlicensed contractor doing business in Florida. The company said in a statement that it had filed a lawsuit against a homeowner in Cape Haze, Florida.

Deputies from the sheriff’s office and a state agency met Duke at the Cape Haze Community Center, where the company parked its branded trucks and trailers, according to court records. Duke is said to have read the emergency order issued by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and told them that he thought out-of-state contractors were allowed to work in Florida after the storm. Documents show.

Duke also told investigators that one of his employees called DBPR and said the company had received a permit to operate in Florida, but he could not name the DBPR representative who spoke with the employee.

“Ignorance is no excuse,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said in a news release about Duke’s arrest. “If you’re in Charlotte County, doing business with people in this community, you better be on the up-and-up and have the proper licenses and insurance. These people have been through enough, and I’m not going to allow unlicensed contractors to victimize them even more.”

According to its website, Duke Roofing does residential and commercial roofing construction and repair, along with masonry work, and has a sister home improvement business, Brushstrokes Painting and Remodeling.

Duke Roofing’s website also has a hurricane relief page where prospective customers are asked to sign up for a “tarp list.” People on the list will be contacted by the company if hurricanes occur in their area. According to the website, those who sign up “are not obligated to use our service.”

“Being on our list helps you stay away from scammers, who often appear after hurricanes, and ensures we’re shut down as quickly as possible so we can protect your property and personal assets,” the company said on its website.