2 Men Charged with Bogus Roof Repair Scams in Cleveland County

By Gan Matthews, NEWS 9

MOORE, Oklahoma -- The law may have finally caught up with two men who allegedly scammed Moore residents out of thousands of dollars.

The men, who are apparently working independently of each other, allegedly took advantage of homeowners who needed roof repairs.

After the May 10 hailstorm damaged her roof in Moore, Tiana Snider hired a contractor named Brian Krafton and agreed to pay him some money -- about $38,000-- up front.

The roof work was supposed to start June 5, but that never happened. Finally, Snider confronted Brian Krafton.

"I said, 'Look, Brian, I called the Attorney General's Office today, and I've been with the Moore Police Department. Are you prepared to give us our money back, or do I have to pursue you?' And he said, 'You have to sue me,' and he hung up the phone," Snider said.

Snider said she did sue Krafton, got a judgment against him, plus a court-ordered repayment plan. She said the first payment was due September 1, but it still hasn't arrived.

Krafton has now been charged with embezzlement in Cleveland County. The District Attorney also charged Britt Gibson with scamming another Moore homeowner out of almost $7,000 in a bogus roof repair. Gibson allegedly told the homeowner he was an insurance claim adjuster.

"Every time he calls him he says he's going to call him back. He's going to meet him, and he never shows up. And apparently a witness has said that he travels around the country scamming people out of money that have been involved in disasters," said Moore Police Sgt. Jeremy Lewis.

Gibson is in jail in Duncan. Texas authorities have charged him with a different scam and want him back.

Earlier this week, the Oklahoma County District Attorney charged Krafton with obtaining money by deception.

Krafton could not be reached for comment.