Johnston Contractor Arrested for Insurance Fraud

press-releases

Filed November 5th, 2025

Detected March 17th, 2026

Summary

The Iowa Insurance Division announced the arrest of Shawn Heuss, a Johnston contractor, on multiple felony charges related to insurance fraud. Heuss is accused of submitting a fraudulent invoice to his insurer for uncompleted roof repairs, receiving insurance proceeds to which he was not entitled.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Iowa Insurance Division has arrested Shawn Heuss, a 46-year-old contractor from Johnston, Iowa, on four felony charges including Fraudulent Submission, Theft in the Second Degree, and Fraudulent Practice in the Second Degree. The charges stem from an insurance claim filed in September 2024 for roof repairs, where Heuss allegedly painted his roof to simulate repairs and submitted a fraudulent invoice to his insurer on January 2, 2025, to collect insurance payments. Heuss is currently being held at the Polk County Jail.

This enforcement action highlights the risks associated with insurance fraud for individuals and businesses. Regulated entities, particularly insurers and construction firms, should be aware of such fraudulent schemes. While no specific compliance actions are mandated for other entities by this press release, it serves as a warning regarding the severe legal consequences, including felony charges and incarceration, for engaging in fraudulent insurance practices. The case is being prosecuted by the state.

Penalties

Class D Felony charges including Fraudulent Submission, Theft in the Second Degree, and Fraudulent Practice in the Second Degree.

Source document (simplified)

Johnston Contractor Arrested for Insurance Fraud

Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Press Release

Image credit: Photo courtesy of Polk County Jail.

DES MOINES - Shawn Heuss, age 46, of Johnston, was arrested on Thursday, October 30, 2025, and charged with one count of Fraudulent Submission (Class D Felony), one count of Theft in the Second Degree (Class D Felony), one count of Fraudulent Practice in the Second Degree (Class D Felony), and for a warrant for his arrest for Failure to Appear on one count of an Animal at Large.

According to criminal complaints filed by the Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, Heuss filed an insurance claim in September 2024 for weather-related damages to his home's roof. His insurance company approved the repairs and issued an initial payment for the actual cash value. Instead of making the approved repairs, Heuss painted part of his roof to change its appearance and created a fraudulent invoice from his construction company, Allure Roofing & Construction, indicating that the repairs had been completed. On January 2, 2025, Heuss submitted this invoice to his insurer and received the recoverable cash value insurance proceeds to which he was not entitled.

Heuss was arrested on Thursday, October 30, and is currently being held at the Polk County Jail.

Note: A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and defendants should be presumed innocent until they are found guilty.

Photo courtesy of Polk County Jail.