VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A swimming pool contractor arrested for allegedly taking customers’ money but failing to complete the jobs has been ordered to reimburse seven victims as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors.
James Griffin pleaded no contest to one count of organized scheme to defraud, a first-degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in prison.
Under the plea agreement, Griffin was sentenced to 20 years of supervised probation and was ordered to pay restitution to his former customers.
According to court documents, prosecutors believed the need for payment of restitution to the victims outweighed the need for a prison sentence.
“I’m glad it worked out,” said James Rothholz, a former customer who paid Griffin more than $30,000 to build a backyard pool. “It certainly took a long time. And I’ve got to tell you, I was a little cynical about it. I figured that I would never see anything.”
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Griffin and his attorney declined to comment.
Volusia County deputies arrested Griffin in 2019 following complaints that the pool contractor’s company, Aquatic Daze Pools, collected large deposits from customers but then did little or no work.
Upon learning his sentence, Griffin immediately turned over $60,000 that was to be distributed to the victims. Griffin was also ordered to pay nearly $139,000 in restitution, which is to be paid in $500 monthly installments that will be divided among his seven Volusia County victims.
“My end of that will be about $71 [per…
