An area builder is facing criminal charges following an investigation by the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office. Van Buren County Sheriff Daniel Abbott said Gordon Leighton, 58, of the Lawton area, faces one count of contractor – fraud, a felony, and a second count of unlicensed residential builder, a misdemeanor.
Sheriff Abbott said that Leighton has been operating without a license and has been inves-tigated for contractor fraud in Van Buren County. The Road Patrol Division has been working alongside the Criminal Investigation Division and has gotten charges authorized on the local builder.
Sheriff Abbott said this incident was originally reported on August 14, 2024, in the 64000 block of Westwood Drive in Antwerp Township. “The victims came forward with concerns regard-ing who they hired to rebuild their home that had been destroyed in a fire. The victim had received a payout from their insurance company and had paid Leighton to build their family a new home back in November of 2022. The family has been renting an apartment during the alleged rebuild,” said Sheriff Abbott.
According to Sheriff Abbott, the family has been renting an apartment for nearly two years awaiting the construction of their new home. Leighton had started the construction, pouring the foundation, in January of 2023. “The last time any work was done was in October of 2023. The home has stood as just a stick frame house with no siding or interior work being completed. The family is out over $95,000 of the remaining construction which they have already paid for,” said Sheriff Abbott.
During the investigation it was found that Leighton was operating without a license and had been moving funds around from other jobs to cover the costs of other constructions. “This does not appear to be an isolated incident and the Van Buren County Sheriff’s Office expects more victims to come forward,” said Sheriff Abbott.
