‘Con artist’ sentenced to 20 years for stealing nearly $400,000 from roofing companies

Jared Deveraux’s theft, calculation and lies reached what one of his previous employers called “a level of manipulation you only read about.”

Fourth District Judge Deborah Bail sentenced Deveraux on Monday to five to 20 years in prison after he scammed his employers out of nearly $400,000. The theft dated back to 2014 and involved three different roofing companies.

Josh Adams, owner of Paradigm Roofing Group in Boise, offered a statement to the court Monday about the damage Deveraux caused to his finances and reputation. In addition to stealing money from Adams, Deveraux also spread false rumors about Adams owning money and being a drug user.

“You have tarnished my reputation in ways I don’t even know how to conceptualize,” Adams told Deveraux in court.

Deveraux, 42, pleaded guilty in December to six counts of grand theft. In exchange, the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed 39 other grand theft charges. Each of the 45 counts represented one theft accusation.

Deveraux took money meant for his employers, which were the roofing companies, and deposited customer checks into his personal bank account.

Deveraux worked as a sales manager for Paradigm Roofing Group in Boise and previously for ARI Roofing in Caldwell. Deveraux and several former Paradigm employees formed Rooftops Energy Solutions in Boise, according to previous reports.

Deputy Ada County Prosecutor Shelley Akamatsu outlined to the court how Deveraux asked customers to include his name on checks made out to the companies, allowing him to deposit them in his own bank account.

The web of lies around how Deveraux defrauded the roofing companies revolved around taking money from the customers and taking advances on his commission.

Deveraux was eventually caught when a Paradigm customer contacted Adams because she was still receiving calls asking her to pay for work done on her home.

She told Adams that her husband had already written a check for more than $6,000 and given it to Deveraux. Because the check was never deposited into Paradigm’s account, it was discovered that Deveraux had kept the money.

Chuck Hall, owner of ARI Roofing, also offered a victim impact statement to the judge prior to sentencing.

Hall said his company treated Deveraux like family and in return, Deveraux stole roughly $270,000 from him.

“This man has no remorse over anything,” Hall told the judge. “…He’s a con artist. He’s a very good one.”

Akamatsu outlined a variety of ways Deveraux was living beyond his means, including an elaborate anniversary party in California where Deveraux and his wife renewed their vows.

At that party, Hall picked up the bar tab as a gift.

Meanwhile, Deveraux took a total of 87 checks from Hall’s company, the prosecutor said.

Other previous employers offered victim impact statements to the court as well, all with the common theme of feeling betrayed by a trusted friend.

Akamatsu told the judge that among other betrayals, Deveraux also attempted to blame his office’s bookkeeper for the missing money, again betraying the trust of those that supported him.

“He would smile in their face and rob them blind,” Akamatsu said in court.

Akamatsu also noted that while Deveraux, a father of six, was stealing from the companies, he owed about $15,000 in unpaid child support. Despite having the stolen money, Deveraux still did not pay the child support. Today, he owes around $24,000 in child support, the prosecutor said.

Deveraux apologized the victims and his family in court saying he knew he “betrayed an deceived” the victims.

“I’m so ashamed,” Deveraux told the victims. “I will pay back every penny, but I know I can’t pay back the love and trust that each of you gave me.”

This story was originally published February 6, 2017 at 8:29 PM with the headline "‘Con artist’ sentenced to 20 years for stealing nearly $400,000 from roofing companies."