A warrant has been issued in Izard County for a Searcy-based contractor accused of taking payments to repair a gas pump canopy but failing to complete the job. The suspect, identified as 69-year-old Jerry Dean Stiles, faces multiple theft charges for similar incidents across the state. Records indicate this is not his first encounter with the law on such matters.
According to a probable cause affidavit from the Izard County Sheriff’s Office, representatives of the Pizza Pro Depot in Melbourne contacted authorities earlier this month to report the alleged fraud. The business stated that its canopy over the diesel pumps sustained damage in February, prompting them to search online for a contractor. They hired JD Construction of Searcy, owned by Stiles, under the assumption that the business was licensed and reputable.
Stiles initially quoted $7,900 for the repairs. Between March and August, the Pizza Pro Depot paid him a total of $15,200. However, communications between the business and Stiles allegedly show repeated delays in the project, with Stiles citing health issues, difficulties hiring help, and equipment problems as reasons for the lack of progress. Photos provided to investigators depicted incomplete and unsafe repair attempts that eventually failed, raising further safety concerns at the site.
The business eventually hired another contractor to complete the repairs at an additional cost of $7,850. Stiles is now charged with theft of property exceeding $5,000 but less than $25,000 in the Izard County case. His bond has been set at $15,000.
Stiles is also wanted in neighboring White County, where he faces a separate charge of theft of property exceeding $25,000. In that case, he agreed to rebuild a gas pump canopy for $50,000 at a service station outside of Searcy earlier this year. The business paid him an initial deposit of $25,000 in May, followed by an $8,000 installment for materials. However, the station owner alleges that the minimal work performed was of inferior quality and made with subpar materials.
Authorities say Stiles has a history of accepting payments for construction projects that he either fails to start or leaves incomplete. Records from the Arkansas Contractors Licensing Board show he has faced numerous complaints and civil penalties.
Stiles has also been arrested twice in recent years on similar charges. In 2019, he was convicted of theft for taking a $7,500 deposit to perform home construction work in Searcy and not completing it. He was sentenced to five years’ probation. His probation was later revoked following a 2023 arrest, when he was accused of accepting a $35,000 deposit to build a cabin in Bald Knob but failing to deliver on the project.
Court records also reveal six civil lawsuits filed against Stiles, all of which resulted in judgments against him. Three were brought by individuals, while three involved businesses.
Authorities in Izard and White counties are currently searching for Stiles to serve the active warrants.