Bradley Sroufe has a history of defrauding people

Bradley Alan Sroufe

A man with a history of defrauding people in home improvement schemes is again facing the same charges after allegedly taking money for a roofing job and failing to follow through.

Bradley Allan Sroufe, 30, was arrested Monday when the victim, a 78-year-old woman, reported to police she paid Sroufe a downpayment of $3,100 to install a new metal roof, and he never returned.

In a probable cause affidavit provided by the Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office, the victim said she wrote the check to Sroufe on June 11 when she entered into a home improvement contract with Sroufe Construction. The total cost for the new roof was to be $4,200. The victim gave Sroufe the downpayment so he could purchase the materials.

Sroufe told the woman he would return in three weeks with the materials and begin the roof installation after July 4. The woman called Sroufe on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9 but received no answer. In her statement to Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Officer Shane Bucher, the victim said she finally spoke with Sroufe on Aug. 11 and he said he would bring the material to her home that day. The victim said Sroufe never came and never called.

Sroufe has a prior conviction for home improvement fraud from June 12, 2013. In that case, Sroufe was ordered to pay fines of $266 and was sentenced to 365 days in jail, but had all jail time suspended.

Sroufe is also the contractor in a current case pending with the Warsaw Code Enforcement Officer. William and Mary Alice Kelly were ordered by the city to make improvements at their home at 614 E. Center St. which include roof repairs, window replacement and repairing a chimney that is in danger of collapsing. The Kellys came before code enforcement officer Lawrence Clifford on July 21 to say they had hired Sroufe to do the repairs, but he was not showing up to work.

Sroufe was arrested Monday on a Level 6 felony charge of home improvement fraud. He was held on a $1,000 surety bond.