Estlin, Sask. contractor charged after police say victims lost $258K in 48 cases

Regina police have charged a man from Estlin, Sask., with fraud after they allege he took payments for home repairs but failed to complete the work or return deposits to victims.

Police said they received a complaint about the case on June 14, 2022, and that report was related to home repairs that had been booked in 2021.

“The contractor provided an estimate of work and requested a deposit payment from the victim,” police said.

“Upon receiving the payment, the contractor failed to complete the home repairs and did not return the deposit payment to the victim.”

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Police continued to investigate, and said they received 48 similar reports involving Joseph Alan Myers, 43, of Estlin, Sask., from June 2022 to December 2023. Police said the incidents occurred between April 2021 and June 2022 and the total reported loss to the victims was over $258,000.

Myers was arrested on Dec. 6 by members of the financial crimes unit, Regina police said.

Police charged Myers with fraud over $5,000. He was released on an undertaking and is scheduled to appear in  provincial court on Jan. 17, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.

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