MONROVIA, Ind. -- A second suspect has been arrested in connection with a driveway paving operation accused of taking people’s money and not doing the work promised.
Santino Gilk turned himself into the Morgan County jail on June 5, two months after a warrant was issued for his arrest.
Gilk is charged with corrupt business influence, theft and home improvement fraud. His alleged business partner, Natalie Davis, was arrested in April and is due back in court on June 11.
Gilk is out on bond, and is due in court for an initial hearing on June 15.
A Monrovia couple, Megan and Mike Swiergiel, found Awesome Asphalt on Craigslist and asked the contractor if they could pave their very hilly Monrovia driveway.
They said they paid the couple thousands of dollars to pave their driveway but the company didn’t finish the job.
The Swiergiels contacted Call 6 Investigates for help in getting their money back.
“We are a working family with three small children and they took away from our family,” Mike Swiergiel said.
Records show a business owner in Speedway filed a similar lawsuit, alleging the driveway contractor took his money and failed to do the work, damaging his property in the process.
The Speedway business owner received an $8,000 judgment in a Marion County small claims court against the contractor on April 14.
On April 2, Morgan County prosecutors filed criminal charges against Natalie Davis and Santino Gilk, who allegedly operated under the name Sunny Davis.
They’re charged with theft, home improvement fraud, and corrupt business influence.
The charges come after the Swiergiels filed a police report, and to their surprise, Indiana State Police investigated.
“Someone finally listened,” Mike Swiergiel said. “Somebody finally did something about it.”
As she was leaving court, Natalie Davis refused to discuss what happened.
“I’m not going to talk, I’m innocent until proven guilty,” Davis said as she was leaving court. “You can contact my attorney for further information.”
Call 6 Investigates asked for the name of her attorney.
“It’s none of your business,” Davis said on April 27.
As of June 8, no attorney is listed for Davis in court records.
Records show Davis requested the court reschedule a court date, but the court denied her request.
As for the Swiergiels, they had to pay $900 for gravel to make their driveway barely useable.
“We’ve had to have both of our cars repaired in the past two months,” Mike Swiergiel said.
The couple wants their $7,500 back, as well as the $900 they paid for gravel.
“Plus they should do time in jail for what they've done to us and other families," Mike Swiergiel said.
TIPS FOR HIRING A CONTRACTOR:
- Get estimates in writing
- Check for criminal charges or civil suits here
- Check for a contractor’s license
- Ask for references and call them
- Ask to see examples of their work
- Ask about insurance: personal liability, worker’s comp, and property damage coverage
- Pay wisely, not all up front
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