Poplar Bluff contractor fined for fraud

Daily American Republic

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- A Poplar Bluff contractor and his construction company were put on probation and ordered to pay nearly $265,000 in fines and restitution after pleading guilty to federal fraud charges.

Michael F. Persons, 46, appeared Monday before U.S. District Judge E. Richard Webber for sentencing on three felony counts of mail fraud. He was placed on three years of probation and ordered that he pay a $30,000 fine.

Persons' company, KAJACS Contractors Inc., was placed on five years of probation and ordered to pay a $48,000 fine. It too had pleaded guilty to three felony counts of mail fraud.

Persons and KAJACS entered their guilty pleas Jan. 22 in connection with a scheme in 1996 to defraud insurance carriers that covered the company's property and equipment.

Persons and the company must also pay $13,101.80 in restitution to the insurance companies, $669.92 to two employees and $172,000 to the Small Business Administration.