>>> HE'S BEEN DUCKING QUESTIONS
FOR MORE THAN THREE MONTHS NOW.
A LOCAL POOL CONTRACTOR ACCUSED
OF TAKING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS FROM HOUSTON AREA
WORK.
>> WE WEREN'T ABOUT TO WALK AWAY
FROM THIS STORY.
>> Reporter: CALL ME.
>> CHANNEL IT INVESTIGATOR BILL
SPENCER HAS BEEN ON THE CASE AND
JUST LAST WEEK, HE TRACKED DOWN
ONE OF THE OWNERS.
TONIGHT BILL IS REVEALING WHAT
THAT OWNER SAID ABOUT ALL THE
CUSTOMERS LEFT HIGH AND DRY AND
BILL SPENCER IS SHARING WAYS TO
PROTECT YOUR MONEY BEFORE YOU
HIRE A POOL CONTRACTOR.
>> Reporter: ROGER.
>> HOW YOU DOING?
IT'S BILL SPENCER, CHANNEL 2
NEWS.
QUESTION, WHY IS THIS POOL
CONTRACTOR FROM MAGNOLIA DODGING
THE CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATORS?
WE GOT TO TALK TO YOU.
WE GOT SERIOUS QUESTIONS FOR
HONESTLY.
GIVE US A SECOND.
AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, IT'S A
LOT MORE THAN JUST THE RAIN.
BADLY.
A LOT OF THESE PEOPLE PUT THEIR
LIFE SAVINGS INTO THIS AND HE
CAME IN SAYING HE WAS GOING TO
BUILD A POOL AND GIVE THEM A
DEAL AND HE RAN OFF WITH THEIR
MONEY.
>> Reporter: SHE AND HER TWO ARE
JUST ONE OF EIGHT DIFFERENT
FAMILIES CHANNEL 2 INVESTIGATES
HAS FOUND THAT PAID ROGER
RUSSELL AND HIS BUSINESS
PARTNER, ROBERT CAMPBELL,
THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO BUILD
THEM A BEAUTIFUL POOL.
BUT IN EVERY CASE, THOSE
FAMILIES WERE LEFT HIGH AND DRY,
STUCK WITH NOTHING BUT AN UGLY,
BACKYARD.
>> YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU LOVE
HAVING THINGS LIKE THIS KICKING
AROUND FOR THEM TO CUT
THEMSELVES ON.
>> Reporter: HOWARD SAYS HE PAID
FASHION POOLS $34,000 FOR WHAT
TURNED INTO A GIANT CEMENT
SWAMP, WITH FILTHY WATER,
EXPOSED PIPE, REBAR, AND RUSTY
NAILS.
>> I HAD ENVISIONED THIS SORT OF
OASIS OF TRANQUILITY THAT I
COULD COME HOME TO AND RELAX.
HOME, MISTOOK IS CHURNING.
THIS POOL IS EVERYTHING FOR US.
IT WAS GONNA BE OUR VACATION
PARADISE HERE AT HOME.
>> Reporter: NATHAN WANTED TO
GIVE HIS KIDS, EIGHT-YEAR-OLD
ALLEY AND TEN-YEAR-OLD JACKSON
SOMETHING HIS PARENTS COULD
NEVER GIVE HIM.
AND YET THIS IS WHAT HE SAYS HE
WAS LEFT WITH AFTER PAYING
PASSION POOLS $85,000.
ON A CONTRACT, HE SAYS HE NEVER
SHOULD HAVE SIGNED.
>> FOR THAT THEY DID 50% OF THE
JOB.
THEY LEFT US WITH AN EMPTY PIT,
MY KIDS COULDN'T EVEN GO IN THE
BACKYARD.
IT WAS A NIGHTMARE.
>> Reporter: HE GAVE PASSION
POOL 85 GRAND.
HOW MUCH EXTRA MONEY DID YOU
HAVE TO PAY ANOTHER COMPANY TO
FINISH THE JOB?
>> TO FINALLY GET IT DONE, WE
MORE DOLLARS.
RUSSELL.
>> Reporter: ALL OF WHICH BRINGS
US RIGHT BACK TO THIS MOMENT.
>> CALL ME.
>> I'D LOVE TO CALL YOU.
BUT YOU DON'T ANSWER MY CALL.
AFTER MONTHS OF TRYING TO TRACK
HIM DOWN, HE DROVE AWAY.
HELLO ROGER.
THIS IS BILL SPENCER.
WHEN WE DID CALL HIM, MANY, MANY
DIFFERENT TIMES -- I'M TRYING TO
GET AHOLD OF YOU.
ROGER, WE NEED TO SIT DOWN AND
DO A CIVILIZED INTERVIEW.
YOU HAVE TAKEN TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS FROM MANY DIFFERENT
WORKING FAMILIES.
WE GOT WHAT ALL OF THESE OTHER
PEOPLE SAY THEY GOT.
VOICEMAIL AND A BROKEN PROMISE
TO TALK TO US.
>> THERE WERE SO MANY EMPTY
PROMISES.
IT WAS PROMISE AFTER PROMISE
OF IT.
OURS.
BUT NEVER HAPPENED.
>> CALL ME.
>> Reporter: LATE MONDAY WE WITH
DID RECEIVE THIS TEXT FROM ROGER
RUSSELL.
IT SAYS IN PART, I FEEL TERRIBLE
ABOUT THE CLIENTS WHO HAVE
INCOMPLETE PROJECTS THAT DO NOT
OWE PASSION POOLS MONEY.
I MYSELF AM OWED TENS OF
PASSION POOLS.
TO BE CLEAR, I WAS NEVER THE
OWNER OF PASSION POOLS, SIGNED
ROGER RUSSELL.
OKAY.
HEAR WHAT HE JUST SAID.
STATEMENT.
THIS IS THE OFFICIAL FILING WITH
THE TEXAS SECRETARY OF STATE'S
OFFICE FOR PASSION POOLS LLC AND
JUST LOOK RIGHT AT THIS, RIGHT
HERE IN BLACK AND WHITE FOR
PASSION POOLS LLC IT LISTS ROGER
RUSSELL AS THE OWNER OF PASSION
POOLS AND ROGER RUSSELL AS
DIRECTOR OF PASSION POOLS.
ROBERT CAMPBELL IS ALSO LISTED
AS AN OWNER AND DIRECTOR OF
PASSION POOLS LLC.
WE HAVE CREATED THIS SPECIAL
VIDEO ON OUR WEB SITE TO TEACH
YOU THE STEPS YOU NEED TO TAKE
CONTRACTOR.
GO TO CLICK2HOUSTON.COM AND YOU
GO TO THE INVESTIGATES SECTION
AND WATCH THE VIDEO BEFORE YOU
EVER SIGN ANY CONTRACT OR HAND
OVER ANY MONEY TO A POOL
CONTRACTOR, BUILDING CONTRACTOR,
WHATEVER.
>> CAN'T SAY YOU DIDN'T TRY TO
GET TO THIS GUY.
>> MONTHS.
I'M TELLING YOU.
WHEN WE FINALLY DID GET THEM, IT