CLAYTON – A residential fence contractor has been arrested after he allegedly defrauded a Johnston County homeowner. Zachariah “Zach” Watson of Watson’s Fence, located at 150 Davis Road, Zebulon was arrested by the Johnston County Sheriff’s Office. The 38 year-old man is charged with felony larceny and felony obtaining property by false pretense.

Around February 1, 2022, a Clayton woman said she hired Watson to remove an old fence on her property, then install a new fence. The homeowner reportedly agreed to purchase the materials and plus pay Watson $4,000 for his labor.

The victim said she paid $8,737.30 for the materials, which Watson allegedly promised to pick up and deliver to her home. Instead, he did not deliver the materials and only brought some of the items a couple of times he returned to work.

Afterwards, Watson reportedly failed to return to complete the job, claiming car trouble and rain, among other reasons, prevented him from returning. After numerous failed attempts to get Watson to return, she filed a report with the sheriff’s office on June 8, 2022. Following a month long investigation, Zachariah Watson was arrested July 12 and given a $20,000 secured bond.

The website for Watson’s Fence (aka Watson Fence, Watson Fencing) is no longer active. Two complaints have been filed against the company with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). In an October 2021 complaint, a homeowner alleges he was required to pay 50 percent of the project cost up front. The pre-payment check was cashed but the job was never finished. Another complaint, in September 2021, alleges the defendant was paid $2,200 to install a six foot vinyl fence. He asked for money to buy the materials but never returned to perform the work.

A Google review earlier this year said Watson was paid $4,800 for a fence he still has not completed. The complaint stated, “It’s been one lie behind the other. I’ve had multiple broken promises… He has NO problem taking my money… He sent me a text two days ago promising to be out today to finish the fence. He said he would be there “rain or shine” at 8AM. Again he was a no call no show. I was finally able to get him to text back around noon. He had more excuses as to why he wouldn’t be able to make it today. I requested my money back and he said he didn’t have it today.”

Another complaint on Houzz alleges Watson was paid upfront for materials for a fencing project in 2021. He didn’t return for two months until he was threatened with small claims court action by the homeowner. The workmanship was poor and some of the fence panels were damaged.

Watson’s Fence at 150 Davis Road, Zebulon has an F rating on the Better Business Bureau website.

Not doing the work by using the excuse “rain” in the middle of a drought in 100 degree weather…LOL!