Laurel developers indicted on racketeering and theft

Two Laurel developers have been indicted in connection with failure to pay contracts, misappropriating deposits on homes in the Village of Cinderberry and Canal Woods and defrauding County Bank for more than $10 million in construction loans.

A grand jury indicted Robin James, 58, and Pamela James, 57, owners of Circle J Builders on Sept. 22.

The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Unit began investigating Circle J Builders in July 2010 after receiving a complaint from a homebuyer, said Attorney General Beau Biden in a press release. In order to secure construction loans, Biden said, the James' falsified paperwork by fraudulently claiming they paid contractors for completed work. Investigators also said the James' misappropriated deposits from nine homebuyers - seven from the Village of Cinderberry and two from Canal Woods - ranging in cost from $15,000 to more than $200,000.

Portions of these homes were constructed, but seven homes have not been completed, Biden said. County Bank ultimately foreclosed on the loans that financed the developments and Circle J Builders filed for bankruptcy in October 2010, he said.
Robin James and Pamela James were charged with racketeering, conspiracy to commit racketeering, theft against a senior, theft over $100,000, theft over $50,000 and attempted theft. Robin James also was charged with forgery and 33 counts of unlawful retention of funds by a contractor.

Both defendants turned themselves in to Capitol Police in Georgetown Sept. 22. After an arraignment in Superior Court, Robin James was released on $98,000 unsecured bond, and Pamela James was released on $24,000 unsecured bond.