KOKOMO — June Barton walks around her Howard County property thinking about what could have been. “Hurt, disappointed, I thought he was honest and at one point he may have been,” Barton told WRTV.
She claims contractor Jeremy Cohee and his construction company allegedly stole more than 60 thousand dollars from her after she says he didn't finish her home improvement project.
“I hated that he did it to other people after he did it to me,” Barton said. Barton filed a tort claim last year against Cohee and his company but court records show her case isn't the first for work he allegedly didn't complete. Documents show multiple other civil claims have been filed against his construction company.
Earlier this month, Cohee was criminally charged with fraud — this for a time when he was allegedly paid $10,000 for work he didn't complete.
“Research, research, research,” Jennifer Adamany with the Better Business Bureau Serving Central Indiana.
While the Better Business Bureau says research is important before a contractor is hired, the company notes detailed research could end up saving customers thousands in the long run.
“Speak to people in person about their experiences with it. See the work that they’ve done. Get at least three quotes and make careful decisions because these are not cheap projects that you’re doing,” Adamany concluded.
