Deputy leads Darrell Perry out of the courtroom after fingerprinting.

A former roofing contractor pleaded no contest this week to four felony counts of organized fraud in return for up to 10 years probation, during which he’s mandated to repay some $28,000 in customer deposits made for work the roofer never completed.

Darrell G. Perry Jr., 34, of Hampton, FL must pay at least $500 each month toward restitution, abstain from drug and alcohol use and meet a number of other obligations to avoid violating the probation ordered, albeit reluctantly, by Circuit Judge Mark Moseley the morning of April 16.

Mr. Perry was facing the organized fraud counts in addition to 13 other felony fraud counts linked to falsifying insurance documents to obtain building permits.

The charges stem from projects for which he collected deposits last year, but failed to complete in a timely manner. That led to complaints to the county building department, which investigated and found Mr. Perry lacked the required liability insurance.

Mr. Perry was also charged with three misdemeanor counts for driving on a suspended license, marijuana possession and drug paraphernalia possession in an unrelated case. Those charges came after Mr. Perry was pulled over by Deputy Daryl Mobley last October on the interstate.

The officer confirmed the suspect’s license was suspended four times and a search of the vehicle turned up pot and rolling papers.

The state dropped all but the four organized fraud counts in return for Mr. Perry changing his original not guilty plea.

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James Nelson

The sheriff’s department is looking for a 20-year-old Margaretta man who twice during the past week managed to flee on foot from deputies attempting to arrest him on a warrant for violating probation.

James Latherias Nelson first gave police the slip the morning of April 10 when he jumped from the rear passenger seat of a 2013 Buick that briefly sped off from Deputy Trey McCullough on Lowder St. in west Macclenny.

The deputy turned around on the vehicle driven by Veronica Manning, 35, of Glen St. Mary when it failed to stop at the intersection with Minnesota Ave. about 10 am. He chased it to a residence on Big Blvd. near the school bus garage and saw Mr. Nelson scale a six-foot fence before running off toward the CSX tracks.

Ms. Manning and passenger Antonio Lee, 22, of Glen initially told the deputy they did not know the identity of the fleeing passenger, then under threat of arrest admitted to Deputy McCullough that he was Mr. Nelson, who has the nickname “Monkey.”

Two mornings later about the same time, Deputy Chris Walker said he was tipped off that Mr. Nelson and another male were in a Chevrolet SUV outside a residence on Ruise Lane in Margaretta.

The vehicle sped off when the officer approached in his patrol car and turned onto Davis Rd. where it pulled up to a residence and both occupants fled on foot through a field of tall grass.

Deputy Walker identified one of the men as Mr. Nelson. The vehicle belonged to Tosha Coleman, who said she allowed the fugitive to use it the previous day.

Mr. Nelson is on probation for criminal mischief, burglary, grand theft and dealing in stolen property.

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