Shocking East Texas Roof Scam Ends in Indictment

An East Texas contractor has been indicted for financial abuse of the elderly. 36-year-old Robert Lee was arrested in 2025 and was recently indicted by a grand jury after facing charges of financial abuse of the elderly.

How the Alleged Roofing Scam Unfolded

According to KETK, Lee worked as a contractor and convinced someone over the age of 65 to pay $64,000 to have their roof repaired after Lee and his partner convinced the homeowner that the roof was in danger of collapsing.

Lee and his partner told the homeowner that they finished fixing the alleged roof repairs, but the homeowner decided to get a second opinion and had another contractor reevaluate the roof. That is when the other contractor informed the victim that Lee lied to her about the roof needing repairs, and the roof was not in danger of collapsing.

What Investigators Found on the Roof

A detective from the Smith County Sheriff's Office arrived at the victim's house and saw Lee, and his partner's work appeared to have been damaged and covered with roofing tiles.

The detective inspected the victim's attic to get a better look at the work done by Lee and it was discovered that only one new piece of plywood was placed over a hole that Lee created in the roof.

The detective added that the plywood was the wrong size and uneven, which allowed for roof tiles to be seen through the gaps.

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Why the Second Opinion Mattered

The contractor later returned and told authorities that it was clear that Lee and his partner made no repairs, instead putting a hole in the roof and patched it up themselves. The contractor stated that the roof didn't have the damage that Lee reported, and the $64,000 paid could have paid for four new roofs.

After the investigation, Lee was arrested in February 2025 and faced charges of financial abuse of the elderly. Recently he was indicted by the 241st Judicial District Court in Smith County.

Please talk to any elderly family members you have about scams, so they don't become the next victim.

Don't Answer Calls from These 10 Area Codes - It's a Scam

Those who are in the know about telephone and identity theft scams say these area codes produce the most problem calls for their clients. Unless you personally know someone who might be calling from one of the following area codes, you might want to let that phone call go unanswered.

Gallery Credit: Bruce Mikells