Kayla Morgan says tiny home never delivered, man arrested

Volusia County detectives arrested a man identified as Ian Stewart after investigators say he took thousands of dollars from Kayla Morgan for a tiny home that never showed up. An invoice associated with the sale listed a total price of $52,000 for a two-bedroom, one-bath model and a $13,000 down payment; detectives say Morgan then made two additional payments of $6,500 each.

Morgan said she found the tiny home listing online and selected the two-bedroom, one-bath model before being contacted by a man who identified himself as Ian St. Clair and told her he owned Tiny Homes USA. She later stood on the lot where the home was supposed to go and saw nothing: the home never arrived, and the money is gone.

The arrest affidavit filed by detectives identifies the suspect by the name he used with Morgan, Ian St. Clair, and the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office says his real name is Ian Stewart. Stewart was booked on charges that include fraud and grand theft, according to the arrest affidavit, and he pleaded not guilty to the charges. Investigators say the payments and the invoice shown to reporters documented the transaction sequence of a $13,000 down payment followed by two $6,500 payments.

Court records show Stewart has prior convictions related to fraud. Records indicate he was arrested and later sentenced in 2014 to six years in prison for defrauding two people out of more than $100,000 in a mortgage fraud scheme, and he is reportedly still on probation in that case. Detectives cited the arrest affidavit in detailing the new charges.

Morgan described the aftermath of the failed purchase and the arrest as a struggle for her family. She said, "It’s just a bunch of different emotions," and recalled that the man who contacted her "seemed like a decent guy." Since the purchase fell through, Morgan and her son have been living in hotels, and she said, "I try to stay strong for my son."

Investigators relied on the invoice and the arrest affidavit in bringing charges; the affidavit lists the booking and the alleged offenses as fraud and grand theft. News reports indicate an attempt was made to contact Stewart’s attorney for comment, but no response was received. Stewart’s not guilty plea means the case will move forward through the court system under the charges listed in the affidavit.