POLK COUNTY, Fla. – An unlicensed contractor accused of taking customers’ money without starting or completing home construction jobs pleaded guilty to a fraud-related felony charge Friday.
Alexander Ferguson, 37, also entered a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge of contracting without a license.
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A judge sentenced Ferguson to 10 years of probation and 10 days serving in a weekend work release program.
Ferguson must also pay $45,820 in restitution to his former customers on top of the $17,000 his attorney said he has already paid back.
In exchange for his plea, prosecutors agreed to dismiss several other charges that could have landed Ferguson in prison for 30 years or more if he had been convicted by a jury.
In 2018, investigators with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office spoke with three homeowners who said they paid Ferguson thousands of dollars to do construction work at their homes, including roof installation, after he reportedly claimed to be a licensed contractor.
According to state officials, Ferguson has never held a state contracting license.
Ferguson has faced similar complaints in Colorado and elsewhere in Central Florida, as News 6 previously reported.