HIGHLANDS COUNTY, Fla. — A Gibsonton man is facing 27 criminal charges after investigators say he took payments for home repairs without a proper license.
The Highlands County Sheriff’s Office said 48-year-old Justin Allen Hoover was arrested following a complaint in February 2023 from a resident who paid him, doing business as J&J Screens, a $3,500 down payment for work that was never started.
Over the next six months, deputies opened 17 more cases involving Hoover, including repairs after a 2022 hailstorm and Hurricane Ian. Investigators say Hoover did perform some work, but never held the required license and was on felony probation for a 2021 unlawful contracting conviction in Hillsborough County.
Hoover is charged with 16 counts of contracting without a license, one count of contracting without a license during a state of emergency, eight counts of grand theft, and two counts of fraud. He remains in the Highlands County Jail.
The sheriff’s office urges homeowners to verify licenses before hiring for repairs, especially after major storms.
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