North Texas contractor sentenced to 30 years for stealing from clients
FORT WORTH, Texas - A former contractor was sentenced to 30 years in prison after pleading guilty to theft of property in Tarrant County, totaling more than $300,000.
Police said Jeremy Jerod Zeno used excuses, different aliases, and ghosting tactics while posing as a trusted North Texas contractor, collecting checks from customers and withdrawing the money in cash.
Contractor Fraud Investigation
What we know:
The Tarrant County investigation began after a customer, Terry Stevenson, filed a complaint with the Benbrook Police Department in 2024.
Stevenson said he paid Zeno $40,000 for a barn/condominium renovation. The project had barely begun when Zeno stopped communicating with him.
"He kept saying the materials are coming. The materials are coming. The materials never came," said Stevenson, who flew in from Iowa this week to testify.
Other victims came forward detailing similar experiences:
- Lee Robinson of Arlington: Lost $35,000 during a construction project in Alvarado and shared photos of the unfinished build. Robinson posted a warning on Facebook last year stating he learned "so much about the worst contractor in DFW," leading other victims to reply with similar stories.
- Selvin Rosa of Universal Foundation Experts in Dallas: Poured a foundation for a home in Hood County and was never paid.
- A fourth victim from the Royse City/Rockwall area: Paid Zeno $180,000 over the phone and lost the money.
What they're saying:
Zeno’s victims never got their money back but at least they now have some justice.
Stevenson wore a shirt in court on Friday that read, "Zeno Construction Officially Closed."
"Patience is the key to this. We will win in the end," he said.
"You can’t do this to your clients. You are destroying homes, their investments, and their life," Rosa said. "He deserves the 30 years because it is not his first rodeo."
What's next:
Prosecutors said Zeno continued operating his scheme while on deferred adjudication in Hood County for a similar crime and while out on bond in Tarrant County in this case.
After pleading guilty on Friday, he’s finally headed to prison.
The Source: FOX 4's Peyton Yager gathered the information for this story by talking to Jeremy Zeno's victims.