PHOENIX (3TV / CBS 5) – Rick Smith says every time he walks and looks at the entrance to his home he gets angry about his project that has been abandoned and left in ruins. “How many hours do you think he actually worked?” 3 On your side, Gary asked Harper. “About three hours,” replied Smith. “That’s it.” Smith paid a company $ 3,800 to install a decorative wrought iron fence. But after paying all the money almost four months ago, this homeowner says he only has a couple of iron piles that have been installed. That’s it. And he’s not alone. Mellissa Gonzales owns a house in Phoenix and says her $ 2,100 backyard project, including enclosing her pool equipment and replacing a gate with decorative wrought iron, was abandoned by the same bogus contractor. “I thought I could trust him,” she said. Jose Flores-Espinoza runs a company called Iron Horse Welding. (Source: 3TV / CBS 5) Gonzales and Smith are both talking about a guy named Jose Flores-Espinoza. He runs a company called Iron Horse Welding. If the name Jose Flores-Espinoza and Iron Horse sounds familiar, it’s because 3 On Your Side has aired multiple reports about this fake contractor in the past. And it’s always the same MO. Flores-Espinoza takes large sums of money upfront for a job and then quits the job he was hired to do. He has also been fined nearly $ 18,000 in total over the past nine years. So Smith and Gonzales reached out to 3 On Your Side for help. “We contacted 3 On Your Side. We contacted you, Gary Harper, and we want to do something,” said Smith. The address that Flores-Espinoza gives on its website is a PO box. Regardless, I eventually reached him on the phone, where he gave me all sorts of excuses for giving up both Smith and Gonzales’ projects. But he promised 3 On Your Side that he would return all of $ 3,800 to Smith. Gonzales promised to return and finish her job. 3 On Your Side will be keeping an eye on the issue to make sure Flores-Espinoza keeps its promises. After all, Gonzales says she can’t afford to lose $ 2,100. “It means a lot. It means going without clothes or food. Or going out and hanging out with the kids,” Gonzales said. And as for Smith and his wife, the loss of $ 3,800 will put them in financial crisis. “Neither of us work. We live on my pension. So $ 3,800 is a lot. We saved for that money,” said Smith. Well, now there is some good news. Since 3 On Your Side became involved, $ 2,000 has been successfully repaid to Smith and his wife. The remaining $ 1,800 is due to be returned next week. Gonzales says 75% of their work has been completed due to the involvement of 3 On Your Side and Flores-Espinoza tells 3 On Your Side that the rest will be completed next week. I’ll let you know what’s happening in a follow-up report. Copyright 2021 KPHO / KTVK (KPHO Rundfunkgesellschaft). All rights reserved.
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