SHREVEPORT, La. – A Shreveport man has been arrested on charges of contractor fraud after allegedly taking money for household repairs and failing to complete the work. Melvin Hill, the owner of High-End Painting, was arrested and charged with residential contractor fraud. He was already in custody at the Caddo Correctional Center on unrelated charges when he was booked for the new offense.
The investigation began after a woman contacted Shreveport police on Tuesday, reporting that she had entered into a contract with Hill on July 2 for interior and exterior repairs to her home. Hill quoted the woman $49,000 for the work. She made an initial payment of $25,000 that day and gave him an additional $10,000 on October 17. However, after receiving the second payment, Hill allegedly delayed the completion of the job.
Detectives reached out to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors, which confirmed that Hill did not possess a valid residential contractor’s license or home improvement registration.
The Shreveport Police Department is urging anyone who believes they may have fallen victim to similar fraudulent activity to contact investigators.
