On March 10, 2025, Deputy Mensink took a theft report at the law enforcement center from Victim A (an 83 year-old man) who resides in the 14000 block of 660th Avenue in the City of Adams, Mower County. Victim A told Deputy Mensink that in July of 2023, the roof of his house needed to be replaced. He asked several neighbors for recommendations and spoke with VINCENT LEE CHMIELEWSKI, [DOB REDACTED], hereinafter the defendant. The defendant is the owner of Vincent Roofing located in Clear Lake, Iowa.
The defendant came to his house and recommended that Victim A’s roof be replaced. The defendant gave him a quote of $12,000 to do the work but told Victim A that if he paid him immediately, he would reduce the price by $500. Victim A said he went to his bank in Dexter and took out a loan for $11,500 to pay the defendant. Victim A gave the defendant a check in the amount of $11,500, payable to the defendant, which was cashed on July 27, 2023. The defendant told Victim A he would order shingles the same day from Adams Lumber and would come back after the materials were purchased and complete the work.
Victim A waited for two weeks for the defendant to return and begin the work, but he never did. Victim A called the defendant multiple times, but the defendant never answered his phone. Victim A stated the defendant never ordered shingles from Adams Lumber and provided a copy of the check he wrote to the defendant to Deputy Mensink. On July 24, 2025, Investigator Sorenson called and spoke with the defendant. The defendant told Investigator Sorenson that he resides in Clear Lake, Iowa, and he is a licensed contractor in the State of Iowa under Vincent’s Roofing LLC. He provided a license number of E134135. Investigator Sorenson advised the defendant of the complaint by Victim A. The defendant initially did not recall Victim A but later advised that he did agree to do work for him and went there twice to repair the siding before starting to repair the roof.
When asked if he completed the work for Victim A, the defendant said he could not recall and would have to check his invoices as he enters notes about the jobs on the invoice. The defendant also stated that he arrived at Victim A’s home, attempted to begin the work, but then had to leave as he was told the banging was bothering Victim A’s wife who was sick. The defendant told Investigator Sorenson that if Victim A reported that he did not complete the work for him “then we have an issue.” Investigator Sorenson asked the defendant if he was paid to do the work for Victim A, and the defendant responded “I’m not saying that.” Investigator Sorenson told the defendant that the victim had tried to contact him multiple times, and several law enforcement officers had tried to contact him without success as well.
The defendant implied he was not intentionally avoiding the victim [NAME REDACTED] said he would do whatever is necessary to “clear this up.” The defendant called Investigator Sorenson on July 29, 2025, and the defendant told him he was unable to locate an invoice for the job they had discussed. On September 4, 2025, Mower County Sheriff’s Captain TJ Lynch contacted the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry to inquire as to whether the defendant had ever held a contractor’s license in Minnesota.
