Construction business owner in Lauderdale Co. apprehended for charges related to fraudulent home repairs

The owner of a construction company in Lauderdale County, Joel Lamar, has been arrested after a year-long investigation into his business practices. The investigation by the Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division was initiated in December 2022 to look into the handling of Lamar Construction and its owner. Multiple victims reported that Lamar accepted large sums of money for construction projects and other services but failed to complete the agreed-upon work.

One victim reported that they had entered a written contract with Lamar and provided a cashier’s check for $61,500 as part of a construction loan, but Lamar never started the construction. In January 2023, Lamar was issued a felony warrant for Theft of Property – 1st degree and negotiating a worthless instrument in connection with this case. A press release was issued to seek the public’s help in locating Lamar and encouraging other victims to come forward. As a result, multiple individuals came forward with similar complaints spanning across several counties in northern Alabama and Southern Tennessee. Authorities discovered that Lamar had fled the area.

During the ongoing investigation, another felony warrant for Theft of Property – 1st degree was issued for Lamar. It was alleged that he accepted $103,930 for a construction project but failed to perform any work. Numerous other cases involving similar actions are currently being investigated. Lamar was eventually located in Huntsville, AL on September 12 and was transported to the Lauderdale County Detention Center on September 13. He is currently being held without bond.

The Lauderdale County Sheriff’s Office urges anyone who has been a victim of Lamar or Lamar Construction to contact the Criminal Investigation Division or file a report with their local law enforcement agency.