LAFOURCHE PARISH, La. — A Breaux Bridge man was sentenced to 18 years after pleading guilty to contractor fraud.
Lafourche Parish District Attorney Kristine Russell says following Hurricane Ida, Clarke Lee, 45, performed unlicensed contracting, incomplete, and poor-quality work that resulted in hundreds of thousands in damages to the victims’ homes.
On Wednesday, Lee pled guilty to four counts of Residential Contractor Fraud of $25,000 or more. Assistant District Attorney Greg Stahlnecker, who prosecuted the case, negotiated the plea agreement of 18 years per count to be served concurrently. The max sentence according to Louisiana law is 20 years.
“He took something that is not easily replaced,” said ADA Stahlnecker. “A person’s home is their castle, and the defendant took advantage of the devastation left by Hurricane Ida to make money off the pain of others.”
In addition to his 18-year prison sentence, Lee is responsible for paying restitution to the victims in the amount of $711,000.
Anyone who may be a victim of Lee’s fraud can call Assistant District Attorney Greg Stahlnecker’s office at 985-447-2003.
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