Provided by 33rd/424th Judicial District Attorney’s Office
On May 22, 2025, a Llano County jury convicted Wayne Alan Erickson, a Hays County resident, of first-degree felony theft by deception, stemming from a years-long home construction fraud scheme involving six families across Llano and Travis Counties. Erickson was sentenced by Visiting Judge Daryl Coffey to 10 years in prison, probated for 10 years, in addition to one year of incarceration in state jail for securing the execution of a document by deception. He was also ordered to pay $539,785 in restitution to victims and is permanently prohibited from working as a contractor or for family members in construction.
Erickson was indicted in 2018, after an investigation by the Horseshoe Bay Police Department revealed that he had taken significant payments from homeowners for construction projects he failed to complete. The prosecution aggregated cases involving six families—two in Llano County and four in Travis County—based on evidence of a common scheme over an eight-year period.
Trial evidence demonstrated that Erickson operated multiple business entities, many of which had forfeited charters, to gain homeowners’ trust and secure contracts. Once Erickson received large “draw” payments for specific construction phases, work would slow or cease altogether. His victims, some of whom returned from out of state to testify against him, often had to pay new contractors to complete or repair unfinished homes. In one case, Erickson presented a forged subcontractor invoice and overcharged the homeowners for work that was never completed.
Despite being under indictment, Erickson continued to sign contracts with new clients. He failed to disclose prior lawsuits—over 15 civil actions, most of which listed him as a defendant—and even misrepresented his identity to deflect blame. One victim testified that Erickson boasted about using LLC protections to avoid financial consequences.
The path to trial was marked by tragic and unusual setbacks. Erickson’s original attorney and a defense expert witness both passed away, causing extensive delays. A trial date was set for early 2024, but the assigned judge, Burt Carnes, and his wife were tragically killed in January 2024. Retired Tarrant County Judge Daryl Coffey was later appointed and presided over the May 2025 trial.
After the jury found Erickson guilty, the State and Defense reached an agreement that allowed for Erickson’s ten-year prison sentence to be probated in exchange for his waiver of all appeals, restitution to victims, and a prohibition on future contracting work. Prosecutors noted that some victims, exhausted by the years-long process, prioritized closure, accountability, and prevention of future harm over a lengthy prison term.
The case was prosecuted by Wiley “Sonny” McAfee, retired District Attorney for the 33rd and 424th Judicial District, and Matthew Rienstra, First Assistant Attorney to the Llano County Attorney, with support from Legal Assistant Sherry Simpson. McAfee and Rienstra were appointed as Special Prosecutors on the case by District Attorney Perry Thomas. Erickson was represented by Amber Vasquez and Megan Roper of Austin.
After the trial, McAfee said, “There are many honorable contractors in the area. But people like Wayne Alan Erickson damage not only the lives of their victims, but the integrity of the industry itself.” McAfee noted that while construction fraud claims are often treated as civil disputes, the long pattern of theft and deception by Erickson made the criminal nature of his conduct clear.
Rienstra said of the jury’s verdict, “Ultimately, they concluded that Mr. Erickson lacked honesty integrity in both his words and deeds—and that he stole from families who trusted him with their homes and dreams. Their verdict is a clear statement that honesty and integrity still matter in Llano County.”
McAfee noted that numerous individuals contributed to the outcome of the case, including Don Johnson, the retired Horseshoe Bay investigator who conducted the original investigation, Investigator Cyndi Fey from the District Attorney’s Office, Llano County Attorney Dwain Rogers and his staff members Karrie Laffoon and Tiffany Hallmark, and jury consultant Jill McAfee.
District Attorney Perry Thomas said of the verdict, “I want to thank the jury for their diligence and careful attention to the evidence in this trial. I also want to thank Mr. McAfee and Mr. Rienstra for contributing expertise to bring justice and closure to the families that this unscrupulous man victimized for many years.”