Catawba County roofer moonlights as break-in artist

CONOVER, N.C. (WBTV) - A roofer in Catawba County was moonlighting as a break-in artist before he was arrested and charged with dozens of felonies. One of his former customers is left asking how this active criminal was able to start up a construction company in the little time he spent free between prison and jail.

“Especially for someone who is an active criminal, doing something like that is absolutely unacceptable,” Michael Arrowood told WBTV.

Arrowood reached out to WBTV this summer when he ran into a conflict with Ian Mauck of Assurance Roofing and Restoration in Conover. Arrowood hired Assurance after he met Ian’s brother Jason Mauck while selling car parts.

In his contract, Arrowood and Assurance agreed that they would be looking to install a hip or gable roof, whichever turned out to be less expensive. But instead Arrowood learned that Jason Mauck, who was doing most of the initial work, was installing a lien-to roof.

Arrowood said he confronted Jason Mauck with a friend who had experience in construction. He says Jason Mauck walked off the job and that’s when he says Ian Mauck started getting more involved.

“I’m in contact with his brother (Ian Mauck) as well as texting and at that point Ian tells me Jason is no longer part of this company,” Arrowood said.

But according to Arrowood, that didn’t improve the situation. He had already paid them nearly $7,000 from his insurance company.

“He text me a couple days later and says that he’s not going to be able to do the build-work or the frame work because he’s not a “builder” he’s a “roofer”,” Arrowood said.

Arrowood says Mauck tried to collect on a $3,000 dollar cancellation fee and that’s when he and his family reached out to WBTV.

We found out Arrowood isn’t alone. Another Assurance customer in Catawba county obtained a criminal summons against Ian Mauck for failing to work after she claims she paid him more than $3,500.

But Ian Mauck’s roofing work pales in comparison to his criminal history.

North Carolina state records show Ian Mauck spent more than four years in prison for a variety of felonies from larceny to breaking and entering vehicles.

Since Arrowood hired Assurance, Ian Mauck has been arrested in both Alexander County and Catawba County for breaking into cars and stealing a firearm. He’s currently in jail in Catawba County on $100,000 bond.

WBTV has received some other advice on how to check out a contractor’s credentials or legal history.

• Ask to see a copy of their insurance and licensed contractor ID.
• Search their name and/or company on the North Carolina Licensing Board for General Contractors website.
• Search the contractors name on the local sheriff’s website to search for recent arrests.
• Search the North Carolina Department of Public Safety website.
• Visit your local courthouse and ask for help searching the contractor’s civil and criminal court history.

Arrowood says he’s learned to double check who he’s hiring. He hired a friend experienced in construction to complete his roofing job effectively. But he says if he had not caught the poor quality job by Assurance Roofing it could have jeopardized the safety of his family.

“He (new roofer) said if we had a big hurricane come through that entire structure would have been pulled off the house,” Arrowood said.

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