Two contractors who came to South Mississippi to do post-Katrina construction work have been arrested following an investigation into home repair fraud, Attorney General Jim Hood said.
North Carolina resident Thomas Pruitt, 43, surrendered to authorities on Oct. 24, and was charged with felony false pretense. According to Hood’s office, Pruitt accepted $3,600 from a Harrison County homeowner as a down payment to install an air-conditioning unit, but the work was never performed.
Pruitt was working under the business name Kajun Koolers Heating and Air Conditioning at the time he allegedly failed to follow through on the work. Harrison County Justice Court Judge Gene Dedeaux set Pruitt’s bond at $15,000 and after his release, he was then arrested in Hancock County on a warrant for uttering forgery, also a charge related to the same offense.