Unlicensed contractor previously convicted faces new charges

DRAPER — A South Jordan man who served time in the Utah State Prison for defrauding clients who paid for kitchen remodels is in trouble again, this time for allegedly defrauding a woman who hired him to build a water feature.

Steven Jay Sizemore, 45, was charged Thursday in 3rd District Court with communications fraud, a second-degree felony; and engaging in the construction trade without a license, a class A misdemeanor.

In May, a Draper woman filed a complaint with the Division of Professional Licensing regarding work performed by Sizemore. She found Sizemore through an online ad “for ‘SJS Retailers,’ which advertised the business as a ‘full service builder’ for remodels, basement finishes, and water features. (The woman) reported that during their initial verbal communications, Sizemore stated he was ‘licensed and insured,'” according to charging documents.

The woman hired Sizemore to build “a decorative stream and pond at her residence” for just over $14,300 and paid $8,400 as a deposit, the charges state.

But four days after starting the project, Sizemore sent the woman a message stating he was “way over budget” and requested that she “pay the remaining contract balance to cover the cost of additional river cobble,” according to prosecutors.

The woman told Sizemore she did not feel comfortable doing that. He then asked her to “meet in the middle” and requested $3,500, which the woman also declined, the charges state. Sizemore then gathered his wheelbarrow and shovel and left.

“Shortly after departing the job site on May 19, Sizemore filed a small claims lawsuit against (the woman) for the unpaid balance,” according to the charges.

When Sizemore sent the woman a message offering to wrap up the project and collect payment, the woman “responded that he was in breach of contract for abandoning the job and stated his actions were a ‘scammer’s tactic.’ Sizemore then texted, ‘You choose not to pay me I will come after you criminally this time.’ (The woman) informed Sizemore that she had not asked him to return, formally trespassed him from the property, and stated she would be filing a restraining order,” the charges state.

Investigators state in the charges that a records check confirmed “that neither Steven Jay Sizemore nor SJS Retailers LLC holds a valid Utah contractor’s license. Furthermore, corporate registration records indicate that SJS Retailers LLC’s status was updated to delinquent on May 15,” according to the charges.

Prosecutors also noted Sizemore’s past criminal history. In 2012, he pleaded guilty to five counts of communications fraud, three second-degree felonies and two third-degree felonies, and was sentenced to concurrent prison terms of one to 15 years for the second-degree felonies and zero to five years for the others. The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing counted 21 victims defrauded out of $117,000 by Sizemore over three years starting in 2009. He was released from the Utah State Prison on parole in 2016.