Brick Contractor Indicted For Taking Money From 14 Homeowners In Sandy Scam

An Ocean County grand jury has indicted a Brick Township contractor for Sandy fraud after he took money from 14 Brick and Toms River residents, then failed to do the work, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

The jury indicted Jamie Lawson, 41, owner of Lawson Renovations, L.L.C., DBA, J & N Construction, for the commission of Sandy fraud. Lawson is accused to taking the money from the residents, doing little to no work and instead using the money for vehicles and personal expenses, spokesman Al Della Fave said.

Lawson moved to New Jersey shortly after Superstorm Sandy and applied to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs to be licensed as a home improvement contractor.

The state licensed Lawson based upon his material misrepresentations on the application, including his failure to disclose criminal convictions in North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas. Shortly thereafter, he began taking contracts to perform Sandy-related renovations and demolition/new home construction, Della Fave said.

The indictment included second-degree money laundering of more than $75,000; six counts of second-degree theft by failure to make required disposition of more than $75,000; nine counts of third-degree theft by failure to make required disposition of more than $500 and less than $75,000; a third-degree tampering with public records for submitting a fictitious home improvement contractor application; and one count of fourth-degree unregistered home improvement contracting, he said.

Ocean County Superior Court Judge Patricia B. Roe, set bail on the indictment warrant at $150,000, restricted him from engaging in home improvement and building contracts and required him to surrender his passport.

The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted in cooperation with the Brick Police Department, Toms River Police Department, Ocean County Department of Consumer Affairs and New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Anyone who has not already reported a theft and believes that they have been defrauded by Lawson or J. & N. Construction should contact Sergeant Mark Malinowski of the Economic Crime Unit of Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 929-2027 x 4032.

Image: Ocean County Prosecutor's Office