Charlotte County, FL – October 7, 2022
A roofing contractor was arrested for conducting business in Charlotte County without a Florida license.
At approximately 1:30pm on Friday, October 7, 2022, the Charlotte County Economic Crimes Unit received a call from an investigator at the Department of Business and Professional Regulation. The investigator informed the CCSO detective that a roofing company, Duque Roofing, was found to be in Charlotte County, conducting business without a Florida license to do so, and that a homeowner had already agreed to a contract with them.
The homeowner was contacted, who advised that he met with a Duque Roofing employee at the Community Center on Cape Haze Blvd. After receiving an estimate from the employee at his home, the homeowner agreed to a written contract for roof repair.
The DBPR investigator met with the CCSO detective at the Community Center and located the area where the Duque Roofing trucks and trailers were parked. At that time, they spoke with Terence Duque (8/30/1974), owner of the company. Duque advised that he read the Governor’s State of Emergency order regarding contractors, and that he understood it to mean that contractors from out of state were permitted to work in Florida. He went on to say that an employee had made contact with the DBPR and that the representative had given him permission to conduct business in Florida, though he could not provide the name of the representative.
The investigator informed Terence that this was not the case, and that Terence would be placed under arrest, as he had already done work in violation of the statute.
“Ignorance is not an excuse. If you are in Charlotte County, doing business with the people of this community, you had better be on the up-and-up and have the appropriate licensing and insurance. These people have been through enough, and I will not allow unlicensed contractors to further victimize them.”
Sheriff Prummell
Terence Duque was arrested and transported to the Charlotte County Jail without issue.