A North Texas contractor has been sentenced to 30 years in prison after prosecutors said he took more than $300,000 from customers and then hid behind aliases and silence when projects stalled.
Here's what to know
In Tarrant County, Jeremy Zeno pleaded guilty in a theft case involving more than $300,000, Fox 4 reported. Police said he presented himself as a trustworthy contractor, accepted customer checks, and then cashed them. Prosecutors said they have not recovered the stolen funds.
A 2024 complaint from customer Terry Stevenson to the Benbrook Police Department helped launch the case. Stevenson said he paid the contractor $40,000 for a barn/condominium renovation, but the contractor did little work before he stopped responding.
"He kept saying the materials are coming. The materials are coming. The materials never came," Stevenson said.
Other victims described a similar experience. Lee Robinson of Arlington said he was out $35,000 after a construction job in Alvarado and later posted a warning on Facebook that drew in others with mirrored accounts. Selvin Rosa of Universal Foundation Experts in Dallas said he did foundation work for a home in Hood County and never got paid. A fourth victim from the Royse City/Rockwall area said the contractor also lost a $180,000 phone payment.
More background
The contractor reportedly kept operating while on deferred adjudication in Hood County for a similar offense and while out on bond in Tarrant County.
TCD Picks » Quince Spotlight
💡These best-sellers from Quince deliver affordable, sustainable luxury for all
Prosecutors said the losses affected both homeowners and subcontractors across multiple communities.
Stevenson flew in from Iowa to testify and wore a shirt that read, "Zeno Construction Officially Closed." The case ended with a guilty plea and a 30-year prison sentence.
Rosa said, "You can't do this to your clients. You are destroying homes, their investments, and their life. He deserves the 30 years because it is not his first rodeo."
Where can I learn more?
These stories cover dumping schemes, wetlands damage, and other construction-related violations that led to arrests, fines, or prison time.
• In Texas, two men faced felony charges after repeatedly destroying a local pond with oil field wastewater.
• In Texas, authorities arrested a waste-removal company owner accused of dumping over 1000 pounds of garbage.
• In New York, a contractor was hit with a $121,000 restoration bill after damaging protected wetlands.
• A former Long Island town official was sentenced to prison for his role in an illegal dumping scheme.
• A homeowner said hired contractors left a toxic mess outside the home and sparked cleanup questions.
Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.
