Contractor charged with taking deposits for work never performed

    On June 22, 39 year-old John Stewart Hopkins, of Summerfield, FL, met with Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) deputies and turned himself in at the RaceTrac gas station, located at 3310 W. Gulf to Lake Hwy. in Lecanto, on 3 Citrus County warrants, each for organized fraud under $20,000 and contracting without a license ($9,000 bond).
   In each case, all which occurred in 2019, Hopkins Concrete Creations, was hired to complete concrete work on a victim's residence, each time taking a deposit from the victim, but never returning to the residence to start or complete the work: On May 23, a victim paid Hoskins a deposit of $500. On June 10, a second victim paid Hopkins an $800 deposit; this victim's bank provided surveillance showing Mr. Hopkins cashing the victim's check at one of their branch locations. On August 16, the third victim paid Hopkins a $600 cash deposit, and Hopkins gave the victim a receipt, indicating he'd received the cash for the down payment.
   "John Hopkins never operated a legitimate business," said Sheriff Mike Prendergast. "Instead, he stole the hard-earned money of innocent and trusting people. Never let your guard down when contracting for services. Visit the DBPR (Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations) site to see if your contractor is legally licensed and insured."
   If you feel you were a victim of fraud by Mr. Hopkins or Hopkins Concrete Creations, please contact the CCSO Major Crimes Unit at 352-726-1121 to file a report.
   Finding a trustworthy contractor for your project is important. Do your research to find a licensed and insured contractor by visiting the following resources (DBPR, Citrus County and the Better Business bureau): • myfloridalicense.com/wl11.asp. • apps.citrusbocc.com/permitting/ • bbb.org/us/fl