Home improvement business owners face felony charges of fraud

EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — An Evansville couple that owns a home improvement business on Friday faced felony charges of fraud in Vanderburgh Circuit Court, authorities say.

Jacob Andrew Key, 33, and Brooklyn Deshae Key, 27, own Keys Contracting, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release issued Friday.

They’ve each been charged with three felony counts of fraud where the loss was between $750 and $50,000, online court records show.

People who had what the sheriff’s office called “significant damage” to their homes from fallen trees after an early April storm had hired the Keys and given them down payments totaling more than $178,000.

“Although some work was completed on the residences, the quality of repairs were inadequate and, in one instance, in violation of the Indiana Building Code,” the release said.

Investigators found that the Keys contracts did not meet requirements outlined in state law, and the Keys performed the work without getting the proper building permits and insurance authorizations. As a result, the Evansville and Vanderburgh building commissions did not inspect the repair work.

The Keys had an initial court hearing Friday afternoon. They each were given jail bond amounts of $2,445. Neither was listed as an inmate in the Vanderburgh County Jail on Friday night. 

In the release, Sheriff Noah Robinson said, “The Keys exploited homeowners in vulnerable situations, preying on their urgent need for assistance. My Office is committed to taking a strong stance against those who break the law to profit from the misfortunes of others.”