A North Carolina pool contractor has been arrested and charged with a felony amid complaints from homeowners alleging unfinished residential pool projects and substantial financial losses, according to court records and local reporting.
Christian Villa, owner of Sunrise Pools, was arrested April 2 in Hampstead, North Carolina — about 20 miles north of Wilmington — and charged with felony obtaining property by false pretense. He was released the same day on a $2,500 secured bond, records show.
According to the arrest warrant, Villa “unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did knowingly and designedly, with the intent to cheat and defraud, obtain U.S. currency” by representing to customers that he would construct inground swimming pools and provide related materials and services. After receiving payment, the warrant states, he performed minimal work, failed to complete the projects, and ceased communication.
The charge follows complaints from homeowners dating back to 2023 through 2025, according to those filings, describing projects that began but were not completed. In one case reported by local television station WECT, a homeowner who signed a roughly $70,000 contract said more than $30,000 in work remained unfinished more than a year after construction began. Another customer who paid approximately $100,000 reported that about half the project remained incomplete.
Details outlined in a 2026 civil complaint filed in Pender County Superior Court provide a more detailed account of how at least one project unfolded. According to the filing, homeowners Winfred and Sandra Raynor entered into a contract on or about August 15, 2024, for the installation of a 40-foot pool and related features at a price of $206,800.41, and paid $186,120.36 between August 2024 and April 2025.
The complaint alleges that although the pool shell and portions of plumbing were installed, significant components — including a tanning ledge, spa, and waterslide — were not delivered or completed. It further alleges that Villa later provided an invoice indicating work had been performed that had not been completed and referenced a refund of $104,491.31 that was not paid. According to the complaint, Villa told one of the homeowners he had done something “bad” with the installment payments and promised refunds that were not delivered.
A separate 2026 lawsuit filed in Onslow County Superior Court describes similar allegations. In that case, homeowners contracted in July 2025 for a pool project priced at $84,060.76 and paid $75,654.67 toward the work. The complaint alleges little to no meaningful construction was completed despite months of assurances that work would begin, including repeated statements that crews would arrive “tomorrow.” The filing also describes delivery of gravel to the property that was not used and alleges that the contractor later offered refunds that were not provided before communication ceased in February 2026.
Prior civil litigation also resulted in significant judgments. A 2025 case in Onslow County resulted in a court order requiring Sunrise Pools to pay more than $250,000 in damages. On April 7, 2026, a writ of execution was filed authorizing the seizure of assets to satisfy that judgment.
Villa acknowledged delays in an interview with WECT, attributing problems to taking on too many projects and issues with subcontractors, and said he intended to make the work right. Court records show a disposition hearing was scheduled for April 15, 2026, in Pender County.
The case now involves both a criminal charge and multiple civil lawsuits, with allegations centered on large upfront payments, partial construction, and projects left incomplete.
