By: Patti Weaver
(Stillwater, Okla.) — A Stillwater man accused of obtaining $4,250 from a Perkins woman by representing he was a licensed insured plumber to do work at her house has been ordered to appear in Payne County District Court on Jan. 6 when he can seek a preliminary hearing on a felony charge.
The case against Shannon Ray Taylor, 39, who remains free on a personal recognizance bond, was investigated by Perkins Police Chief Bob Ernst. If convicted of obtaining money by false pretense, Taylor could be given a 10-year prison term and $10,000 fine.
A Perkins woman contacted the police chief on Feb. 25 about “whether or not a building permit had been issued for some plumbing and framing work she had done at her house,” according to Ernst’s affidavit. City records showed that a permit had not been issued, the affidavit alleged.
The woman “asked if we (the city of Perkins) could look at the work and determine whether or not the work was done correctly,” Ernst wrote in his affidavit.
The woman “provided me with a copy of a business card that read in part, ‘Taylor Handyman Plumbing’ ‘Shannon Taylor’ with the word ‘insured’ also written on the card,” Ernst wrote in his affidavit.
The woman “explained that Taylor had been referred to her by a friend,” the affidavit said.
She said, “Shannon Taylor provided her a written quote, and she paid Shannon Taylor $4,250 to build a wall, install a hot water heater, install stops on flex lines, change and remove the tub, install a shower valve, move the washer and dryer while installing a new drain line for the washer that connects to the main sewer line for the house,” the affidavit alleged.
Upon touring the woman’s house on Feb. 28, State Plumbing Inspector Buddy Osborn of the Construction Industries Board “advised there were several serious plumbing code violations that would need to be corrected,” the affidavit alleged.
During an interview that day at the Perkins police station, Taylor admitted to doing the work at the woman’s house and “also admitted he does not have a contractor’s license, which is required to be in business for yourself as a tradesman,” the affidavit alleged.
“When asked about his insurance coverage, Shannon thought the insurance had probably expired,” the affidavit alleged.
A plumbing company provided the woman with an estimate of $5,285.50 “to correctly repair/replace the items that Shannon Taylor worked on in the house,” the affidavit alleged.
“An inquiry with the Construction Industries Board confirmed that Shannon Taylor is not, and never has been, a licensed plumbing contractor,” the affidavit alleged.
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