Police Make Arrest in Contractor Case

A contractor who allegedly took $4,000 from a homeowner for repairs he didn't complete turned himself into the Vienna Police Department last week.

After turning himself in, Joseph Richard Checklick, 31, of Elkwood, Va., was charged with obtaining money by false pretense, money laundering and
operating without a contractor license, police said.

A resident first filed a complaint against Checklick in January, saying the man approached him at his home on Cottage Street during the fall to tell him his house needed repairs for damage it sustained during

The homeowner agreed to have the work completed. After a couple of hours, Checklick allegedly told the complainant he was finished and requested $4,000 for the work, police said. The homeowner paid him.

In January, the homeowner checked with another contractor about the repairs. The new contractor told the homeowner the cracks sustained during the earthquake were merely painted over, and he felt the resident was scammed.

The homeowner attempted to contact Checklick without success.

After he turned himself in last week, Checklick was transported to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center and held on a $10,000.00 bond.