AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott’s Fugitive Unit arrested an Austin man Wednesday who was wanted by the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office for orchestrating Hurricane Katrina-related home repair scams. Carlos Enrique Sanchez, 42, was arrested at his place of employment in Austin.

The Mississippi Attorney General’s Office requested assistance from the Texas Attorney General’s Office on Sept. 1. Sanchez was indicted on three charges of felony home repair fraud related to Hurricane Katrina. Each charge carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Mississippi officials will pursue Sanchez’s extradition from Texas.

According to state investigators in Mississippi, the value of the defendant’s alleged fraud was more than $300,000. The warrants for Sanchez’s arrest were issued May 20. The defendant is accused of taking money from Mississippi residents whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and not providing the new homes he promised.

In both ordinary circumstances and emergencies, Texas homeowners should be wary of home repair contractors that request up-front payments for repair services. Homeowners should never agree to pay in advance for these services. Texans also should be cautious of anyone pressuring them into making a quick decision to contract for home repair services. Additionally, to help ensure that contractors are legitimate, homeowners needing home repair services should ensure that contractors with whom they do business have physical addresses for their businesses. Once a contractor has been chosen to perform repair work, Texans should read the legally-binding contract carefully before signing it. Customers should not sign any contracts that have blanks that could later be filled in with terms that are unfavorable to the homeowner.

Texans should keep written records and receipts of any transaction they believe violates the special legal protections that apply during a declared disaster. If speaking directly with the service provider does not resolve the dispute, Texans should call the Office of the Attorney General’s toll-free Consumer Complaint Hotline at (800) 252-8011. Texans also may file written complaints online at www.texasattorneygeneral. gov.