A Florida homeowner’s dream pool has become a cautionary tale in contractor fraud and unlicensed work; the builder faces criminal and regulatory scrutiny after allegedly abandoning a pool project.
The homeowner has been left with tens of thousands of dollars in fines and a half‑completed pit filled with rainwater.
The contractor, Anson Avery Gallaway, is under investigation by Florida officials and has already been charged with a misdemeanor. The case dates back to January 2023, when Orlando resident Aliya Brown paid roughly $45,000 toward what she believed would be a $52,000 contract to build a swimming pool. Nearly three years later, the “pool” remains nothing more than a concrete shell. Cracked and missing tiles surround a basin holding stagnant rainwater, a mosquito‑breeding hazard that Brown says is unsafe enough that she forbids her children from playing near it.
According to public records, Gallaway and his firm — Cat 5 Home Center / Cat 5 Prefab Homes — face a criminal charge in Volusia County for “engaging in contracting without certification,” a misdemeanor under Florida law. The Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) has opened investigations into multiple complaints against him, including at least one other homeowner who paid for an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that was never built and a separate ADU project in Orange County.
The fallout for the homeowner has been severe. In July 2025, local code‑enforcement officials issued an administrative order and fine, citing the unfinished pool as not “maintained in a clean and sanitary condition, and in good repair.” Because the property remains in noncompliance, a lien was placed on her home. To date, her fines have climbed to more than $108,000 — more than double her original investment.
“I feel that he took advantage of me and the situation and didn't care,” Brown said. She says she is seeking a full refund, though she doubts she will ever recover the money, so she can hire a licensed contractor to finish the pool properly.
Gallaway entered a not guilty plea to the misdemeanor unlicensed contracting charge on November 25, 2025. Whether he will be held accountable — and whether victims like Brown will ever recover their losses — remains uncertain. It is also unclear whether the DBPR investigation will lead to further charges or civil action.
Experts warn that homeowners face serious risks when hiring contractors who lack proper licensure or certification. Under Florida law, any “contracting activity requiring certification or registration” must be performed only by licensed contractors. Violating the law can result in misdemeanors, administrative fines, and civil enforcement.
For now, Brown continues to confront mounting fines, an unfinished yard, and uncertainty about recovering her money — a cautionary tale of how quickly a home renovation can turn into a financial and legal nightmare.
