State denies former Anderson real estate agent's request for license renewal
Jan. 31—ANDERSON — The Indiana Real Estate Commission has denied a request from local former agent Roger Shoot for the renewal of his license.
The decision to deny Shoot's request was made on Jan. 19 following an administrative hearing in November.
Shoot's license was indefinitely suspended in 2017 after he was convicted of three counts of felony theft and one count of felony forgery.
The 2017 order stated that Shoot could not petition for the reinstatement of his real estate license for 53 months.
Shoot requested a reinstatement hearing last October and presented his case for reinstatement and was cross-examined, which included questions about his criminal convictions.
"Respondent failed to provide sufficient evidence demonstrating that he is able to practice with reasonable skill, safety and competency to the public," the ruling stated.
Shoot will have the option to apply again in the future.
Shoot pleaded guilty in April 2016 to three Class D felony counts of theft, and one Class C felony count of forgery in a plea agreement approved by then Madison Circuit Court Judge Thomas Newman Jr.
Newman sentenced Shoot to 8 1/2 years of probation for real estate practices that prosecutors said were intentionally designed to take advantage of unsuspecting buyers. In addition, he was ordered to pay court costs and restitution of nearly $36,000.
Following the conviction, the Indiana Real Estate Commission, through an agreement, suspended his license as a real estate broker for four years and five months.
The commission suspended Shoot's real estate license in July 2014, after the Madison County Prosecutor's Office charged him with 17 counts of felony theft, 13 counts of felony forgery, and one count each of felony perjury and corrupt business influence.
Shoot's legal troubles began when the Attorney General's Office filed a civil lawsuit against him for an alleged rent-to-own scheme in which he failed to pay insurance premiums and property taxes.
Court documents filed by the state alleged that Shoot, through his company, P.R. Properties LLC, sold four Anderson houses to consumers using rent-to-own agreements. He allegedly collected and then pocketed more than $9,200 from at least five buyers that was supposed to pay insurance premiums and property taxes.
According to the lawsuit, Shoot used the money for personal expenses at pharmacies, restaurants, grocery stores and gas stations, when it should have been held in special trust funds and used to pay taxes and insurance.
In four real estate transactions specifically cited, Shoot was the deeded owner of properties, but failed to record his ownership interest to "conceal and misrepresent the true deeded owner of record for the properties," according to the complaint.
Follow Ken de la Bastide on Twitter @KendelaBastide, or call 765-640-4863.
