Update 5/17/16 – Earlier this year we told you about a displaced Meeker family with a money pit on their hands.
They’re at odds with Oklahoma contractor, Keith Compton.
Tuesday, an arrest warrant was issued for Compton after the state charged him with home repair fraud in Lincoln County, again, this time on behalf of the Hopkins family.
Remember they showed us around their unfinished house, pointing out shoddy work.
“We had to rip the wall off, fix some of the plumbing behind it,” dad, Raymond, said.
Compton’s facing more fraud charges in Lincoln and Hughes Counties.
While things shake out in court, things are looking up for the Hopkins.
The family finally moved into their new place, although it’s a work in progress.
Dad, Raymond, and his brother continue to spend their weekends finishing up repairs.
MEEKER Okla. - The Hopkins family has a big gripe against an Oklahoma contractor with big problems of his own!
Their beef is with Keith Compton of Spartan Elite.
They hired him to remodel their dream home.
He cashed their checks, did some of the work to their liking, but a big chunk they say is either shoddy or just wasn't done!
“I can point to about $25,000 easy, clear-cut checks that I wrote him for material that we didn't receive,” Raymond Hopkins said.
There is no sign of the stone, windows, kitchen appliances, or the supplies to build the fireplace and deck.
“We don't have the money, even on the labor, getting the kitchen done, there is no way we could afford that with what we have left,” Raymond said. “Basically me, and my brother have been doing the work to save on labor.”
We did some digging into Compton's background.
He's previously been charged in connection to a white-collar crime and other violent offenses, including armed robbery, kidnapping, and assault and battery, although those charges were later dismissed.
Now there are more allegations tied to his contracting business.
Compton recently went before a judge in Lincoln County.
We know the contractor is accused of home repair fraud in several counties, but keeps telling us the accusations have no merit.
“On May 20 something when I go to court it's all dropped because I've done nothing wrong,” he said.
Compton went onto say it was the Hopkins family that stiffed him.
“They have not paid a dime,” he said.
That’s not what the evidence shows.
The Hopkins family provided the In Your Corner team with more than a dozen canceled checks, all cashed by Keith Compton to the tune of about $86,000.
Raymond turned over that evidence to authorities.
Right now the family of 5 is living with Raymond's mom.
Wife Jessica is pregnant with their fourth child and barely keeping her head above water.
“I'm in classes full time too for nursing, trying to take care of that, take care of the kids, their schooling and this and trying to make sure he doesn't have too much on his chest,” she said.
There is light at the end of the tunnel.
A move-in date is right around the corner.
Compton is refusing to refund the family any of their money.
It's up to the Lincoln County District Attorney now whether or not a criminal charge gets filed.
Raymond and Jessica are urging all of us to do our homework before entering into any business agreement with a contractor.