LEAGUE CITY, Texas – A League City man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from New Jersey homeowners who hired him as a contractor to make repairs to their homes following Hurricane Sandy, officials said.
A complaint alleges that Paul Rueda, 46, stole in excess of $75,000 entrusted to him by four New Jersey homeowners as part of construction contracts.
Officials with the Office of the Ocean County Prosecutor in New Jersey said three of those homeowners hired Rueda, owner of PKR Construction, to repair damage to their homes caused by Sandy.
Each of the homeowners reported that they paid Rueda, but that he failed to complete the project, officials said.
Following an investigation, Rueda was arrested by the League City Police Department and taken into custody at the Galveston County Jail.
He is charged with second-degree theft by failure to make required disposition of property received.
Officials with the prosecutor’s office said another man, John F. Bishop, 54, is wanted for the same crime.
A complaint alleges he, too, failed to complete repairs after being paid $75,000 as part of a construction contract in the same area.
Officials said Bishop’s last known address is Celebration, Florida. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027 ext. 3462.
Officials are also asking anyone with additional information on Rueda or PKR construction to call the same office.