Man sentenced in roofing scam

FLORENCE - A former roofer is headed to state prison after pleading guilty to taking money for home repairs that he never performed.

Lauderdale County Circuit Court Judge Gil Self sentenced Phillip Davis Strickland on Wednesday to 15 years in prison and ordered him to pay $54,983 in restitution to eight people.

Strickland, 41, pleaded guilty in February to eight counts of home repair fraud. He was arrested in April 2008 and charged with second-degree theft and home repair fraud.

One of the victims, Renee Adomyetz, of Killen, said she won't hold her breath waiting on Strickland to repay the $3,700 she paid him to repair her roof.

"I don't expect to ever be paid," she said.

Before hiring Strickland to repair wind damage to her roof, Adomyetz contacted the Better Business Bureau to see if his company, Bama Roofing, had a good track record.

"They told me he had only had three complaints in 17 years of business and they had all been resolved," Adomyetz said. "Instead of calling the Better Business Bureau, I should have called the courthouse."

Adomyetz said she was unaware that Strickland was operating his business from the Lauderdale County Work Release Program.

Lauderdale District Attorney Chris Connolly said Strickland was allowed to continue running the home repair business from the work release to allow him to repay victims from a previous case. He was sentenced to work release after pleading guilty to home repair fraud in 2007.

Since Strickland continued to defraud customers, Connolly said prosecutors will oppose any effort to release Strickland on parole.

Adomyetz had to hire another roofing company to complete the repairs at her home, court officials said.

Marsha Wisdom, of Florence, said she cannot afford to hire anyone to complete the work on her home.

"He took every dime I had," she said. "I have siding that is unfinished and a roof that was never started."

Wisdom said she paid Strickland $7,000 for the unfinished work. She does not expect to be repaid.

Laytonya Nance, of Florence, called Strickland a smooth operator.

"I value my money; I don't have much of it," she said. "I never dreamed a man would come into my home and take my money so easily. He came on as a smooth talker and claimed to be a man of God." Nance said she paid Strickland $3,200 for roof work that he did not complete. She had to hire another roofing company to complete the work.

Connolly said the victims approved the plea agreement and sentence for Strickland.

Dennis Sherer can he reached at 740-5746 or dennis.sherer@TimesDaily.com.