A couple previously arrested is now facing more charges in another case

A couple previously arrested is now facing more charges in another case

A couple previously arrested for alleged illegal contracting and grand theft in several cases is now facing more charges in another case.

Mark Morales, 54, and Julie Lynne Moore, 58, were arrested again on February 5 at the Monroe County Detention Center on Stock Island, where they’ve been held since their previous arrests this year. The newest charges against each are contracting without a license, organized scheme to defraud, communications fraud and grand theft.

“Mark Morales and Julie Moore fraudulently held themselves out as licensed contractors over the span of months in a systemic, ongoing course of conduct to defraud residents of Monroe County, Florida, with the intent to obtain property from them,” State Attorney’s Office Investigator Frank Zamora wrote in his latest arrest affidavit.

In the newest case, a Summerland Key woman met with Moore on December 3, 2018, to discuss roof repairs. The woman had previously spoken to Morales about the work. Both Moore and Morales intimated they worked for a company called A-Plus Roofing and that her roof repairs would be done under that company’s contracting license (in previous cases, they used the names  Affordable Roofing and Paul Brown Roof Repairs).

On December 4, the victim went to Morales’ home in Key West and gave him three checks: One for $5,000 as a 50 percent deposit for the roof work; another for $3,570, also for roof work; and one for $1,375 as a 50 percent deposit for siding on her house. She said she was told to make the checks payable to Morales, even though she had asked if they should be made out to A-Plus Roofing.

However, when Morales went to cash the $5,000 check, the bank rejected it and wouldn’t cash it. Two days later, the victim went back to Morales’ house and gave him two $3,187.50 checks, one each as deposits for the roof work and the siding. Morales returned the original $5,000 and $1,375 checks to the victim.

Then on December 29, Morales laid down some roofing paper on the Summerland Key home and received another check, for $3,900, from the victim. Moore had texted the victim the previous day that “there is an additional cost.”

Morales never returned to the house to complete the repairs while overall, the victim had paid him $13,745, the arrest affidavit says. Morales didn’t obtain a Monroe County building permit to do the work.

“Mark Morales and Julie Moore have, with at least three other [victims], engaged in this scheme to defraud,” Zamora wrote. “They have obtained monies by representing themselves as licensed contractors, which they are not, in order to obtain thousands of dollars for construction work never performed or intended to be performed.”

Overall since October, 13 charges have been filed against Morales related to alleged illegal contracting. Moore is facing 10 such charges.

Key West Code Compliance and the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation have previously cited Morales for illegal contracting. The pending criminal cases against him and Moore are in the Lower Keys and Key West.

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