Staff Report

Justin Tyler Kemper

WARSAW — A Syracuse man was recently arrested for allegedly stealing $60,000 from a woman after stating he would complete a renovation to her residence.

Justin Tyler Kemper, 38, 10300 N. Channel Drive, Syracuse, is charged with theft where the value of the property is over $50,000, a level 5 felony.

On Aug. 4, 2023, an elderly woman contacted the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office about a home improvement fraud. The woman said she entered a contract with Kemper to complete a home renovation and addition on her residence.

According to court documents, the woman said she paid an installment of $60,000 to Kemper, the owner/operator of Lake City Builders LLC. The project was supposed to commence in August 2022, with the $60,000 payment being the first installment. The total cost of the contract was $145,000.

After giving Kemper $60,000, the woman said she had no further contact with Kemper until she called him in December 2022. No work had been performed on the woman’s residence.

On Jan. 19, 2023, Kemper told the woman work would begin on Jan. 23, 2023. No one showed up to the woman’s home on that date to begin work. In April 2023, the woman sent Kemper a message requesting a refund, but he allegedly failed to respond to her message or return her money. Phone records show the woman called Lake City Builders 15 times between December 2022 and April 2023.

On Aug. 30, 2023, a KCSO detective spoke with Kemper about the incident. Kemper said he had been unable to complete the work due to other jobs. In an interview, Kemper claimed he had several jobs which took weeks and weeks to complete. He said an employee took the woman’s calls and told the woman they did not know when the project would start.

Kemper also said he spoke with the woman in April 2023 and told her they were still moving forward with the project. He told the detective changes to subcontractors for excavation work had also caused delays. Kemper said to his knowledge, a refund had never been brought up.

During the interview, the detective mentioned permits obtained for the renovation project. The permits were obtained on Feb. 13, 2023; and March 20, 2023. Each permit indicated the project must be commenced within six months of the issue date, and completed within two years.

In September 2023, the woman’s attorney said he sent a letter to Kemper under the Senior Consumer Protection Act. In the letter, the attorney requested the return of the woman’s money. Kemper said he was not going to refund the money.

As of July 2, 2024, no work has commenced on the woman’s property since the deposit was made, and the funds have not been returned.

Kemper was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on July 4, 2024, with a $50,000 cash bond.