Man arrested for fraud

A 45-year-old Lower Keys man was arrested Tuesday on multiple fraud-related charges for failure to do contracted work.

Leon Lewis Bailey was charged with six counts of fraud, failure to possess a contracting license and grand theft.

Bailey was reportedly operating a company called “Island Essentials Landscape & Fence Design” out of Sugarloaf Key. Bailey built a fence for the victim on Big Pine Key with no issues in December 2018. The victim then hired Baily to build a $3,603 porch and stairs. The victim paid Bailey $2,150 to begin the project in January. Bailey never started the job and kept giving the victim various excuses in the ensuing months.

The victim filed a report with the Sheriff’s Office in August 2019 after multiple failed attempts to get his money back from Bailey.

Detective John Gabay went to the Sugarloaf Key address listed for Baily’s business. A family member of Bailey’s there stated Bailey lived there at one time, but no longer, adding he no longer has contact with Bailey due to Bailey’s multiple debts in the community. He also stated that Bailey no longer lived in the Florida Keys.

Detective Gabay contacted the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. An analyst there informed Detective Gabay that Bailey has never had a construction contractor license for the state of Florida nor has Island Essentials Landscape & Fence Design ever been properly licensed as a business.

Warrants were filed for Bailey’s arrest.

Bailey turned himself in at the Stock Island jail on Tuesday.

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