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Roofing contractor in court on felony theft charges
South Milwaukee police say a contractor took money for roof and siding projects, then disappeared. More than a year later, the contractor appeared in court on criminal charges.
SOUTH MILWAUKEE, Wis. - South Milwaukee police say a contractor took money for roof and siding projects, then disappeared. More than a year later, the contractor appeared in court on criminal charges.
Owen Masters appeared in Milwaukee County Circuit Court one month after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Masters is charged with three counts of Theft by Contractor as Party to a Crime.
Owen Masters
Contractor accused
The backstory:
One of the case victims is Lisa Allison in South Milwaukee. Allison told Contact 6 over the summer that she paid Masters $5,000 in 2024 for roof work that never started. Allison lives with her non-verbal daughter, Katie.
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"I feel like I was scammed," Allison told Contact 6. "I was calling the number on my contract and it went right to voice."
Lisa Allison
What they're saying:
The criminal complaint says Masters' salesmen solicited work for his business, Property Restoration Professionals, but the down payments went into Masters' bank account.
"It's clear that this was intentional," said Daniel Doering, a South Milwaukee Police Officer, to Contact 6 in early January. "There was never any attempt to do the job."
Doering said Masters' bank records revealed no purchases for the three jobs at any roofing supply warehouses. Police say Masters also took $3,800 for another roofing job and $20,000 as down payment for a siding replacement.
South Milwaukee victim
Dig deeper:
Arleen Vraa, a South Milwaukee homeowner, previously filed a civil case against Masters to reclaim the $20,000.
"This is really no different than if someone went into your house and stole $20,000 out of your dresser drawer," said Jonathan Cattey, Vraa's attorney in the civil case.
Jonathan Cattey
Cattey says Vraa and his wife had health issues around the time of the theft.
"This put a real financial burden on him and his wife," said Cattey.
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Masters' attorney, Theodore O'Reilly, told the court that Masters has "struggled with drugs in the past."
Out on cash bail
What's next:
Masters is out of the Milwaukee County Jail on a cash bail of $7,500. His unhappy customers are still hoping they'll get their money back.
Owen Masters
"I would imagine the people, especially the person who paid $20,000 and didn't get any work done, doesn't really care if there's a drug problem or not," said Milwaukee County Court Commissioner Barry Phillips.
Masters is scheduled to return to court on Wednesday, Feb. 4, for a preliminary hearing.
The Source: Information for this story comes from Milwaukee County Circuit Court records, Jonathan Cattey, Lisa Allison and South Milwaukee Police reports.