Brian White was sentenced to seven years in prison followed by 23 years of probation after pleading no contest to fraud charges related to post-Hurricane Ian contracting work. Prosecutors say the scheme affected roughly 40 people in Charlotte County and 25 in Sarasota County.
The State Attorney’s Office says White was adjudicated guilty and sentenced to “7 years in prison, followed by 23 years of probation,” according to a statement from the State Attorney’s Office. As reported by WINK News, White was ordered to pay $316,000 in combined restitution. Prosecutors say White took customers’ money knowing his company could not or would not fulfill their orders, and court records show he faced multiple charges in Sarasota County of theft from victims over age 65.
A North Port Homeowner’s 2023 Nightmare
Allie Marcus hired White in 2023 to install motorized storm-shutter shades at her North Port home. She paid a $4,600 deposit and was told the work would take 12 to 14 weeks. Marcus had found favorable reviews for Harper’s 1980 and received a neighbor’s recommendation; WINK News reported that White bought the company after those reviews were posted.
More than a year later, Marcus had received neither the shades nor a refund, though a subcontractor had done some electrical work at the home, according to WINK News. Marcus eventually took White to court with the help of an attorney. “You just feel this sense of, you know, emptiness,” she said.
How the Case Came Together
White was arrested in 2024 after customers contacted law enforcement about his contracting business, which was intended to supply pool cages and hurricane shutters. An arrest report cited by WINK News said White deposited a customer’s down-payment check at a bank in Tampa. Prosecutors say he took as much as $10,000 from one Sarasota County victim; the station described the overall losses as hundreds of thousands of dollars…