Fraudulent contractor arrested after attempting to scam elderly Carr Fire victim

A Redding man was arrested Monday after posing as a contractor who could repair damage to homes burned by the Carr Fire, according to the Redding Police Department.

Troy Arleigh Holladay offered a bid for repairs to an elderly woman whose home was affected by the Carr Fire. Part of the terms required a $1,500 cash fee up front — nearly half of the overall repair cost. In addition, officials suspected Holladay, 46, was not a licensed contractor, and the bid did not come with a contractor license number.

On Monday, officials found Holladay and detained him after confirming that he was not a contractor. Holladay arrived at the woman’s home under the influence of methamphetamine, and some was found in his car. He was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance and violating the part of the California Business and Professions code that makes it illegal to offer repairs to structures damaged in a natural disaster without a license.

Holladay has been arrested 19 times in Shasta County. In 2016, he appeared on the Redding Police Department’s Most Wanted list.

This investigation was conducted by the Redding Police Department Neighborhood Police Unit, along with the Shasta County District Attorney’s Office and the Contractors State Licensing Board.

Following the arrest, officials in Redding are reminding citizens to use only licensed contractors when repairing their homes to avoid becoming fraud victims.

This story was originally published August 20, 2018 at 8:08 PM.