Missouri Roofer Sentenced in Customer Fraud Case

Glenn Jessen receives probation, must pay more than $138K in restitution after resolving 19 deceptive business practice charges

By Tanja Kern, Senior Strategic Content Editor

A Missouri roofing contractor previously accused of taking upfront payments from homeowners and failing to complete promised work has been sentenced to five years of probation and ordered to pay more than $138,000 in restitution.

Glenn Jessen, who operated Midwest Roofing Commercial & Residential Inc. and Overland Roof Exchange Inc., was sentenced Oct. 1 in Greene County, Mo., after entering an Alford plea in May to 19 counts of deceptive business practices. Under an Alford plea, a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction.

According to court records cited by KOLR, Jessen received a four-year state prison sentence, but the judge suspended its execution and placed him on five years of probation. He was ordered to pay $138,335.44 in restitution, with monthly payments of $2,400 beginning Nov. 1. As part of his probation, Jessen is prohibited from owning or operating a home renovation company and from accepting upfront payments for contract work.

RC previously reported that the Missouri Attorney General's Office charged Jessen in 2023 with 24 counts of deceptive business practices involving customers of his two roofing businesses. Prosecutors alleged Jessen's companies accepted upfront payments from homeowners for roof replacements and repairs, as well as gutter and siding work, but failed to perform or complete the promised services. The original complaint alleged 24 customers lost a combined $148,336.44 during 2020 and 2021.

According to the Attorney General's Office, three customers had projects that were started but not completed, while 21 allegedly received no services. Fifteen of the customers were elderly. The criminal complaint included individual allegations involving payments for roofing repair and replacement services and materials.

Jessen ultimately entered an Alford plea to 19 of the original 24 counts on May 27. The case followed complaints from homeowners and an investigation by the Missouri Attorney General's Office.

KY3, which initially investigated customer complaints against Jessen's businesses in 2021, reported that some customers said they paid thousands of dollars upfront for roofing work that was never completed.

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Tanja Kern covers economic trends and the intersection of architecture, design, and construction for Roofing Contractor, with an emphasis on the forces reshaping the industry. She develops and amplifies content that connects roofing professionals with the intelligence they need to compete and grow.

With more than 20 years of experience, Tanja has written for national business, consumer and trade publications. She holds a Master of Science in magazine publishing from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.