Derecho Disaster: Contractor Adkins Gets 4 Years for Fraud

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – Scott Gregory Adkins, 48, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, will spend the next four years in federal prison after being sentenced for scamming victims of the devastating 2020 derecho. The sentence, handed down on June 11, 2024, follows Adkins’ February 1, 2024, guilty plea to one count of wire fraud.

Adkins, operating as “Adkins Home Improvements LLC,” preyed on homeowners already reeling from the widespread damage caused by the derecho, a ferocious storm packing winds exceeding 100 mph. The August 10, 2020 storm ravaged Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana, causing an estimated $7.5 billion in damage. In Cedar Rapids alone, nearly every resident lost power, over 1,000 homes were rendered uninhabitable, and hundreds more suffered significant damage. Adkins saw opportunity in the chaos.

Established just two months after the derecho, “Adkins Home Improvements LLC” promised repairs to derecho victims and other residents. But instead of delivering on those promises, Adkins pocketed substantial advance payments – totaling over $190,000 from 22 victims – and used the funds for personal expenses, including food, and transferred money to a family member. He then strung his customers along with false excuses and promises, concealing his theft and lulling them into a false sense of security.

One particularly callous act involved an elderly widow whose roof was damaged by the derecho. She, like others, handed over money expecting legitimate repairs, only to be left with nothing. Adkins’ history is rife with similar offenses, boasting prior theft convictions in both Iowa and Michigan, painting a clear picture of a habitual con artist.

United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand delivered the 48-month prison sentence in Cedar Rapids. Beyond incarceration, Adkins was ordered to pay $192,770.72 in restitution to his victims. Following his release, he will face a three-year term of supervised release – a formality in a federal system without parole. Adkins is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals awaiting transfer to a federal facility.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Timothy L. Vavricek and investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cedar Rapids Police Department. Court file information can be found at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl. The case file number is 23-CR-66-LTS-MAR. Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Iowa on Twitter: @USAO_NDIA.