VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla — Action 9 is following new developments in the case of the Volusia County businessman who used the name Granite Gangster on social media. The State Attorney’s Office filed new charges in April against Charles “Chuck” Ogden for organized scheme to defraud and contracting without a license.
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The judge in the case also recently issued a gag order. The order came after the defense was upset that at least one of the victims was posting negative things about Chuck Ogden on social media and argued it could hurt his chances of getting a fair trial.
Action 9 showed you two years ago that Chuck Ogden showed off cash and flashy cars on social media while using the handle Granite Gangster. He encouraged people to work hard and make money like him. On one video showing expensive cars he’s heard saying, “If you want it bad enough, look here, you can have it. There’s my wealth. There’s my success.”
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But in late 2022 he was arrested and charged with contracting without a license after Melanie Cain came forward complaining about “substandard and shoddy” work.
Following that arrest Cain told Action 9 Consumer Investigator Jeff Deal, “My home is unfinished. I have a child living here. I don’t have any plumbing in my kitchen. I have an unfinished master bathroom.”
She and others complained Ogden took money and didn’t finish the work and investigators said some of the work he did do required a contracting license which Ogden doesn’t have.
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Jeff Deal tried to catch up with Ogden in 2023 at Ogden’s Holly Hill storefront. Deal introduced himself to a woman who briefly opened the door and said, “Is Chuck here? We wanted to talk to him about his arrest and the allegations that he’s facing.” The door closed and no one would open it back up to address the questions. Ogden later called and said his son owns the business Cain contracted with and he was just working as a sales rep at the time.
Investigators in a new case, said Ogden took more than $100,000 from an elderly man to repair hurricane damage, but didn’t pull any permits or complete the work.
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After Melanie Cain posted about the so-called Granite Gangster on social media, the defense argued it could keep Ogden from getting a fair trial. The judge wrote witnesses and Ogden himself have posted about it and issued a gag order to keep everyone involved in the case from discussing it outside court.
When Action 9 contacted Ogden about additional charges last year, in an email he wrote that he and his attorneys are working on an airtight defense and they are going to prove his innocence.
The trial was supposed to start this week, but it has been pushed back to the end of next month since one of witnesses is out of town.
In a separate civil case, Ogden is suing the City of Port Orange for negligence and negligent supervision claiming its police detective didn’t thorough investigate to determine who owned the company Melanie Cain contracted with before charging Ogden. The city has filed a motion to dismiss the case.
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