A Muskogee man was arrested Tuesday on multiple charges of home repair fraud.

Felony information filed in Lincoln County District Court against Jason Paul Priest lists one count of a pattern of criminal offenses and 12 counts of home repair fraud.

Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s Public Protection Unit filed the charges, according to a media release.

Priest is in the Muskogee County/City Detention Facility after being arrested Tuesday afternoon by Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office investigators.

“We got a call from the AG’s office telling us right where he was,” investigator Roy Banks said. “We drove there in (investigator Faye Banks’) truck, I knocked on the door and he came right to the door. He thought it was his girlfriend knocking.”

Information filed in the case states Priest, who did business as “JMP Buildings and/or Muskogee Barn Company” allegedly took advantage of people in 12 counties between Oct. 17, 2009 and June 14, 2011.

Court documents allege Priest accepted down payments for supplies and construction at various locations in the state. He would often begin construction, but after receiving a second payment, he would not complete the work.

The only times the pattern differed were in Hughes County, where prosecutors allege Priest accepted a down payment, and completed a building frame after receiving a $10,200 check. Documents allege Priest then received a second check totaling $5,880 in April 2010 and a third check totaling $8,650 in May 2010, but never returned to the address to complete the job.

One count alleges Priest received a $4,318 down payment in Garfield County Nov. 10, 2010, but never returned to the property and completed no work.

The documents allege Priest bilked those he targeted out of more than $82,000.

The offenses allegedly occurred the following counties and resulted in fraud of the following amounts:

• Wagoner County  $4,956;

• Tulsa County ‹ $5,502;

• Lincoln County ‹ $7,560;

• Caddo County  $6,562.50;

• Canadian County $7,600;

• Pottawatomie County $7,320;

• Hughes County $14,530;

• Pawnee County $7,602;

• Oklahoma County $4,998;

• Garfield County $4,318;

• Payne County $7,000; and

• Creek County    $4,053.

Each count of home repair fraud filed against Priest states the people Priest entered into the contract with made repeated attempts to contact Priest.

Reach Dylan Goforth at (918) 684-2903 or dgoforth@muskogeephoenix.com.

To file a complaint



To file a complaint with Attorney General Scott Pruitt’s Public Protection Unit, go online to www.oag.ok.gov, email publicprotection@oag.ok.gov or call (405) 521-2029.