A local contractor is accused of taking nearly $160,000 from five couples in Calgary and Okotoks for work that was never completed.

Kieron Warren is facing numerous charges including fraud. He allegedly took prepayments for home renovations between October 2011 and June 2012.

A second person, Greta Warren, who is listed as director of the numbered company in question, is also facing charges.

The provincial government laid the charges under the Criminal Code and Alberta’s consumer protection law.

“Contractors who take advantage of honest, hard-working Albertans should be forewarned that this government has strict consumer protection rules and we will enforce them to the full extent of the law," said Manmeet Bhullar, minister of Service Alberta, in a release.

Warren is facing penalties under the Fair Trading Act of close to half a million dollars in fines and up to two years in jail.

The charges have yet to be proven in court.

Warren is scheduled to appear in Okotoks provincial court on Nov. 18 and in Calgary provincial court on Nov. 21.