ABILENE, Texas — What started as a plan to build an in-ground pool at a Clyde home ended with nearly $50,000 lost for one Callahan County couple and a 20-year prison sentence for the man authorities say was behind a West Texas pool scam.
RELATED | ‘Why Clyde?’ Major development sparks community concern
In 2021, Vicki Whiteaker and her husband began the process of installing an in-ground pool at their home. Whiteaker said her husband found Lubbock-based pool company Aqua Kingz on Facebook.
“My husband’s always wanted a pool. Not the biggest fan because of all these trees but, you know, forever home, whatever makes you happy. So, summer of 2021, he found Aqua Kingz on Facebook,” Whiteaker said.
After a series of phone calls, the couple met Aqua Kingz owner Roderick Jeffrey in person in Lubbock, where they visited what appeared to be a legitimate storefront to pick out materials. They later met again at their home to map out the project.
Work was supposed to begin in early January, but Whiteaker said it never did and that delays quickly piled up.
“Two weeks of excuses he was going to come by at 11, then it was three, then five, then six and then he said two of his tires blew out,” Whiteaker said.
West Texas pool scammer gets 20 years after Callahan County couple loses nearly $50,000 (KTXS/ Tavish Leffall)
After weeks of delays, Whiteaker said her husband asked for a refund. Jeffrey agreed, but when they arrived, she said there was no cashier’s check. She said Jeffrey later provided a nearly $50,000 check that bounced.
Asked how much money they had lost at that point, Whiteaker said, “Over 49-thousand dollars.” She added, “Well, that and he’s just a thief. He’s just a thief.”
Whiteaker said she contacted the Better Business Bureau without success before eventually reaching out to the Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office Hot Check Division.
“I got back in restitution a total of 3-thousand dollars,” Whiteaker said.
Whiteaker said it wasn’t until she contacted a Lubbock news station that more alleged victims began coming forward. “And then after that, more people came out of the woodwork,” she said.
Authorities say multiple victims across West Texas reported paying thousands of dollars for pools that were never built, totaling well over $150,000.
Nicole Conner, Sierra Strickland, Vicki Whiteaker, and Shanna Smith (KTXS/Vicki Whiteaker)
After what was described as a four-year saga, Jeffrey was sentenced in early May in Denton County to the maximum of 20 years in prison for theft. He faces multiple charges across several counties, including Lubbock and Howard counties, ranging from theft to failure to appear.
Whiteaker said the maximum sentence was handed down in part due to Jeffrey’s criminal history and previous failures to appear in court. She said she was in the courtroom when the sentence was delivered.
“I mean I am elated. I am so happy because I feel like we’re not done first of all. But I feel like that sentence as a representative for all of us, like us for victims, were there, but we’re still in touch with others,” Whiteaker said.
Whiteaker said she hopes sharing her story prevents others from becoming victims.
“Question my judgment and people, but, like, that’s almost kind of like. A like, almost like, I don’t know, consumer terrorism. I’m not going to let one person scare me from people that really do do great things and, are great contractors. So,” she said.
Anyone who believes they have been affected by Aqua Kingz can reach out to KTXS News via email.