TUTTLE, Okla. (KFOR) — Last November, a man in Tuttle, Oklahoma hired a contractor to build a metal building on his property. Nine months later, all that’s completed is the concrete floor. Now, he just wants a response from the contractor who’s been ignoring him since May.

Concrete floor of unfinished building. Image KFOR.

“It’s just amazing that there’s people out there that can do this kind of stuff and just, you know, basically steal $18,000 from you and not expect to pay it back,” said Chris Shetley, the client.

Shetley signed a contract with Dustin “Dusty” Lee Roberts to build on his property in Eufaula. He said at the time, Roberts was the owner of Outback Services LLC.

“This guy had built some other buildings in the area. So he was kind of recommended. And I seen some of his work. So I started to contact him and go with him on building this building,” said Shetley.

Shetley said he was asked to give a down payment of $31,500.

“I really thought a lot about it,” said Shetley.

That check was given in November of last year.

“Well, it wasn’t until March…March 6th before he basically he did any concrete work. And at that time, you know, he didn’t do all the concrete. It was just the main part of the slab. He still owed me,” said Shetley.

Shetley said Roberts never finished the project, and hasn’t been able to get in contact with him since May.

“You know, he just ran off with about $18,000 of my money. You know, that’s that’s, that’s what he owes after, you know, the work he has done,” said Shetley.

We tried to contact Roberts multiple times over the phone. We also drove to his house where his son answered the door and said Roberts wasn’t home.

“You know, I’ve heard stories like this all the time not to pay any contractor money down. I should have known better, but unfortunately, I made that decision,” said Shetley.

He said he believes this isn’t the first time Roberts has gotten away with not finishing a project.

“I know at least two other people, one last year in Logan county, that he did the same thing, too. Now it’s just warning others and hopefully prevent him from doing this to other people,” said Shetley.

He told News 4 that he did go to small claims court but hasn’t had any luck. He also reached out to the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit a few times as well.

Roberts did reach out to News 4 a couple days later and said he would reach out to Shetley.