Three charged with stealing in roof-repair case

Three former officials of a roofing repair company who allegedly conned Kansas City area homeowners out of more than $650,000 face multiple criminal charges, the Missouri attorney general’s office announced Wednesday.

According to court documents, the three operated American Shingle LLC and sent employees door to door in 2010 to solicit roof repair jobs after storms. More than 170 people say they gave the company money, some from insurance settlements, but the company failed to make the repairs.

“This case involves the largest number of victims and consumer loss of any criminal case my office has brought against a fraudulent contracting operation,” Attorney General Chris Koster said in a statement announcing the charges along with the prosecuting attorneys of Jackson and Clay counties.

Former American Shingle chief executive officer Carlton DeWayne Dunko, 46, and chief operating officer Frank Pureber, 36, face similar charges in Florida, where they are in jail. Former chief information officer Richard Steffy, 44, posted $15,000 in bond in both Jackson and Clay counties.

Charges against them include theft or stealing, deceptive business practices and financial exploitation of the elderly or disabled.

Consumers who think they have been a victim of American Shingle may file a complaint by calling 1-800-392-8222 or visiting http://ago.mo.gov/consumercomplaint.htm

The attorney general’s office advises consumers not to pay for storm repairs up front, to obtain a written contract and not to pay in cash.

This story was originally published February 4, 2015 at 5:08 PM.