Local pastor, teacher says she’s out nearly $40,000 after hiring contractor

MERCER COUNTY, Pa. — It was supposed to be a dream home for Christal Graham-Jones and her 86-year-old mother.

“She’s having difficulty walking up steps,” Graham-Jones tells 11 Investigates. “She’s in so much pain. So, this house was going be where she can have everything on one floor.”

While working full-time as a pastor and a teacher and trying to earn her PhD, Graham-Jones did her research and hired a contractor she thought she could trust.

“He said this house is going to be beautiful in this neighborhood,” Graham-Jones said.

Graham-Jones says the contractor accepted close to $40,000 in bank loans, but after months of promises, delays, excuses and requests for more money, there is still no house. It’s just a large hole, full of stagnant water, surrounded by fencing in the middle of a quiet, Farrell neighborhood.

“I was excited about moving here with my mother knowing that she would be safe and sound,” Graham-Jones added. “And now look at this. This is what I have.”

Now, she’s the one facing $1,000-$10,000 in fines and legal action from the City of Farrell over the state of the property.

“God have mercy on his soul, because if you can do this to people and think you’re going to get away with it, God have mercy on your soul,” Graham-Jones said.

For nearly two years, Graham-Jones says she’s been paying out of pocket to store materials for an entire house.

“I have hardwood floors in storage - I’m paying monthly fees for that,” Graham-Jones adds. “I have kitchen cabinets, sinks and tubs for a brand-new house that’s not built.”

Neighbors on this street aren’t happy with the eyesore they are left to look at.

“What he did was a shame to this neighborhood,” Gary Elerby tells 11 Investigates. “And one thing I know about God, he don’t play.”

We got a hold of the contractor. We are not naming him since he is not facing any criminal charges.

He tells 11 Investigates he’s an honest guy; all invoices were paid for and approved by the bank and after Graham-Jones told him to leave the property, he did. He says he’s completed 300 jobs successfully with only two complaints.

Graham-Jones says she is still pushing for criminal charges and accountability. She says she’s not giving up her fight for her the house she dreamed of.

“Now that dream is like, it’s not here - this is what I have,” Graham-Jones tells 11 Investigates. “This hurts, this hurts, this really hurts.”

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