WARRENSBURG, Mo — A family of contractors accused of defrauding elderly homeowners face felony charges.
Ninety-year-old Charles Hogue is one of the victims. The retired military man lost about $100,000 to the men who failed to do the work they had promised on his home.
Another victim, also in Johnson County, was taken for about $27,000, according to court records.
Ken Collins and his sons Ken Jr. and Steven were charged this month with financial exploitation of the elderly, stealing and consumer fraud. The charges, filed by Johnson County Prosecutor Robert Russell, said the men did “not intend to perform” the work they’d been paid for.
Hogue’s children told FOX4 Problem Solvers they’re grateful both the Johnson County Missouri Sheriff’s Department and the prosecutor took their father’s case seriously.
“Hopefully they put them in jail for a long time so they won’t do this to anyone else,” son Charles Hogue Jr. said.
“We don’t tolerate people preying upon the elderly in this community,” Russell said.
As FOX4 Problem Solvers has previously reported, the Collins family lives near Osceola though many of the elderly customers who say they were defrauded by the men live in the greater Kansas City metro.
FOX4 Problem Solvers has tried repeatedly to interview the father, Ken Collins, but he’s refused.
“I’m not doing s**t on camera,” Collins told us. “What the hell is wrong with you people?”
Now Collins, who has always maintained his innocence, can give his side to a judge. Police are still looking for his two sons.