FORT WORTH, TX – October 10, 2026 (STL.News) Texas Contractor – Theft – A North Texas contractor was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to theft of property valued at more than $300,000, according to FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth.
Jeremy Jerod Zeno received the sentence Friday, October 9, in Tarrant County, after an investigation into complaints that he accepted substantial payments for construction and renovation projects he never completed.
The investigation began in 2024 when a customer contacted the Benbrook Police Department after paying approximately $40,000 for a renovation project that barely progressed. Additional customers subsequently described similar experiences, including one who reported losing approximately $180,000.
According to FOX 4, investigators said Zeno used different names, made repeated excuses about construction delays, and eventually stopped communicating with customers. Police also reported that he collected checks and cashed the proceeds.
The case involved multiple people across North Texas who reported significant financial losses, and a construction business owner who said his company was never paid for completed foundation work.
Texas Contractor – $40,000 Complaint Started Criminal Investigation
The Tarrant County investigation began in 2024 after Terry Stevenson filed a complaint with the Benbrook Police Department.
Stevenson hired Zeno for a project to renovate a barn and condominium. According to FOX 4, he paid about $40,000, but communication with the contractor stopped shortly after construction began.
Stevenson said Zeno repeatedly assured him that building materials would arrive. Despite those assurances, the promised materials never appeared.
As the project remained unfinished, Stevenson contacted police.
His complaint sparked an investigation into other customers who reported similar problems with construction projects.
Stevenson traveled from Iowa to Texas to testify during the week of Zeno’s sentencing, according to FOX 4.
His experience illustrates the financial risks homeowners face when they make substantial payments before construction is complete.
Residential projects frequently require deposits or progress payments intended to cover materials, labor and other expenses. Customers may commit significant savings or obtain financing based on a contractor’s agreement to perform the work.
When a project is abandoned, homeowners can face additional expenses to secure unfinished structures, obtain replacement contractors, and complete the original work.
Those costs may arise while customers are still attempting to recover payments made under the original agreement.
Other Customers Report Substantial Financial Losses
Stevenson was not the only person who reported losing money in dealings with Zeno.
FOX 4 identified Lee Robinson of Arlington as another customer who described an unfinished construction project.
Robinson said he lost approximately $35,000 on a project in Alvarado, Texas.
After experiencing problems with the work, Robinson documented the unfinished construction and posted a warning about the contractor on Facebook.
According to the television station, other people responded to the post with accounts of similar experiences.
The responses brought additional attention to complaints involving Zeno’s construction activities.
Another individual identified in the reporting was Selvin Rosa of Universal Foundation Experts in Dallas.
Rosa said his company poured a foundation for a residential construction project in Hood County but never received payment.
His experience differed from those of homeowners who reported paying Zeno directly.
Instead, Rosa described a construction business that performed work without receiving the compensation it expected.
FOX 4 also reported that another customer from the Royse City-Rockwall area paid Zeno approximately $180,000 through arrangements made over the telephone.
That customer reported losing the money.
The three specifically reported customer payments of approximately $40,000, $35,000, and $180,000 total $255,000.
FOX 4 reported that the overall theft case involved more than $300,000.
The individual amounts reflect the accounts described in the station’s reporting. They should not be interpreted as the precise restitution amounts, if any, established by the sentencing court.
Police Describe Aliases, Excuses and Avoidance
According to FOX 4, investigators described a pattern in which Zeno used different aliases, offered repeated explanations for construction delays, and eventually stopped communicating with customers.
Police also reported that he collected checks and cashed the money.
The reported conduct became part of the investigation into his construction-related activities.
Construction projects can encounter legitimate problems involving material availability, labor shortages, scheduling conflicts, and unexpected expenses.
An unfinished construction project does not automatically prove criminal theft.
Disagreements between contractors and homeowners can involve civil contract disputes, workmanship concerns, or questions about payment obligations.
Criminal theft requires more than a contractor’s failure to complete a project.
Under Texas law, theft generally involves unlawfully appropriating property with the intent to deprive its owner of that property.
In Zeno’s case, the criminal prosecution resulted in a guilty plea to theft of property.
FOX 4 reported that he received a 30-year prison sentence in Tarrant County on October 9.
The guilty plea distinguishes the case from an unresolved allegation of criminal wrongdoing.
Prosecutors Cite Earlier Criminal Proceedings
Another significant aspect of the case involved prosecutors’ statements about Zeno’s conduct while he was already in criminal proceedings.
According to FOX 4, prosecutors said Zeno continued operating the scheme while on deferred adjudication in Hood County for a similar offense.
Prosecutors also said he continued the conduct while released on bond in the Tarrant County case.
Deferred adjudication is a form of court supervision available under Texas law.
Under certain circumstances, a judge may defer a formal adjudication of guilt while a defendant completes court-ordered supervision requirements.
Violating those requirements can result in additional legal proceedings and possible punishment.
The prosecutors’ statements, as reported by FOX 4, describe alleged continued misconduct despite Zeno’s involvement in earlier criminal proceedings.
The reporting reviewed for this article did not independently establish the specific Hood County case history, supervision conditions, or any subsequent rulings.
Those earlier proceedings are distinct from the October 9 guilty plea and sentencing in Tarrant County.
Victims React to 30-Year Prison Sentence
For customers who reported losing substantial amounts of money, Friday’s sentencing represented an important development after years of frustration.
According to FOX 4, Stevenson appeared in court wearing a shirt that read, “Zeno Construction Officially Closed.”
He expressed satisfaction with the outcome after traveling from Iowa to participate in the proceedings.
Rosa also supported the prison sentence, describing the financial harm that unpaid construction work and lost investments can cause customers and businesses.
The victims interviewed by FOX 4 reported that they had not recovered their money.
That distinction matters because a prison sentence does not automatically lead to financial compensation.
Courts may order restitution in qualifying criminal cases, but the amount and collection of restitution depend on the court’s judgment and applicable law.
The FOX 4 report did not specify whether the court ordered Zeno to pay restitution or identify any repayment amount.
Consequently, the victims’ reported financial losses should not be described as recovered.
For homeowners who have already committed substantial funds to unfinished construction projects, the financial consequences can continue long after the original agreement breaks down.
Customers may need to hire replacement contractors, purchase additional materials, or pay to protect unfinished structures from deterioration.
The published reporting did not establish the specific additional expenses incurred by the individuals involved in Zeno’s case.
Contractor Theft Case Highlights Consumer Risks
The North Texas case illustrates the importance of carefully reviewing construction agreements before committing substantial funds to residential projects.
Major renovations and building projects often require homeowners to pay before all work is complete.
Those payments may cover materials, equipment, labor, and subcontractor expenses.
Customers depend on contractors to manage those funds and perform the agreed work.
When a contractor fails to fulfill those obligations, homeowners may face unfinished properties, financial losses, and disputes over how payments were handled.
Consumer protection authorities generally recommend researching contractors, checking references, and obtaining detailed written agreements before beginning expensive construction projects.
Written contracts should identify the scope of work, expected materials, payment terms, and anticipated completion dates.
For substantial projects, payment schedules tied to documented construction milestones can limit how much money you commit before work is performed.
Homeowners should also retain contracts, invoices, receipts, bank statements, photographs, and communications with contractors.
Those records can become important if construction stops or questions arise about payments and unfinished work.
Consumers who suspect fraudulent business practices in Texas can contact local law enforcement or the Texas Attorney General’s consumer protection division.
Not every construction disagreement involves criminal wrongdoing, but allegations of intentional deception or unlawful appropriation of funds may warrant investigation.
Sentencing Brings Criminal Accountability
Zeno’s case grew from a 2024 customer complaint into a criminal prosecution involving multiple reported victims and substantial financial losses.
FOX 4 reported unfinished construction projects, customers who lost tens of thousands of dollars, and a construction business owner who said his company was never paid for completed work.
Investigators described aliases, repeated excuses, and avoidance of customers.
Prosecutors also said Zeno continued similar conduct during earlier criminal proceedings.
On October 9, 2026, Zeno pleaded guilty to theft of property and received a 30-year prison sentence in Tarrant County, according to FOX 4.
The sentence is a significant consequence for the offense to which he pleaded guilty.
However, available reporting does not indicate whether additional proceedings, appeals, or restitution-related actions will follow.
For customers who reported losses, the sentence represents criminal accountability, although the published reporting does not address the financial consequences of their unfinished construction projects.
The case underscores the importance of documenting construction agreements, reviewing payment arrangements, and promptly reporting suspected fraud to appropriate authorities.
Sources: FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth, Peyton Yager and Tracy DeLatte, “North Texas contractor sentenced to 30 years for stealing from clients,” published October 9, 2026, at 8:14 p.m. CDT.
