BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The chairman of the Baton Rouge Municipal Fire and Police Civil Service Board was arrested after being accused of contractor fraud.
According to an arrest warrant, Brandon Owen Williams, 48, is charged with two counts of contractor fraud and one count of misapplication of contractor pay.
Per the warrant, he hired unlicensed subcontractors and a contractor who forced a victim to pay a builder’s lien.
In January 2022, Williams started a contract with a client to build a new home costing about $722,900. The client paid a total amount of almost $600,000. The client described Williams as a general licensed contractor operating under the business name Brandon O. Williams Construction, LLC.
After the work was completed, the client was forced to hire a licensed electrician and plumber to redo and finish the project, which reportedly cost another $40,000, the warrant states. Williams did reportedly reimburse about $1,000 for the plumbing.
During an investigation, detectives confirmed Williams was a licensed contractor and used information for licensed companies to obtain work permits for an unlicensed plumber and electrician during the project.
Williams was found guilty by the Louisiana Board of Contractors in November 2022 on charges of entering a contract with unlicensed contractors.
The client also was notified of a property lien for an unpaid balance of $13,200 for flooring. The subcontractor notified the client and reportedly said Williams did not pay for the materials and services used. To prevent a contractor lien from being charged to the property, the subcontractor billed the client an additional $7,000 on Aug. 23, 2023.
In total, they reportedly paid an additional $46,000 on the project.
