PALM COAST, Fla. – A 45-year-old Palm Coast handyman was arrested after investigators determined he allegedly used a client’s credit card to pay for resort stays and make unauthorized payments to his family’s cleaning business, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Jesse Modzel, 45, of Palm Coast, was arrested Friday, Oct. 9, 2026, following an investigation that began nearly 10 months earlier when a resident reported suspicious charges on his credit card.
Investigators said Modzel had access to the victim’s home through his handyman work and his family’s cleaning business, Breezy Clean.
Unauthorized Credit Card Charges Lead to Investigation
The investigation began in December 2025 when a Palm Coast resident contacted the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office after discovering purchases on his credit card that he had not authorized.
The victim still had his credit card in his possession and told investigators he had not made the transactions.
Detectives traced the suspicious charges to stays at a Palm Coast resort and payments made to Breezy Clean, a cleaning business associated with Modzel’s family.
According to investigators, Modzel and the cleaning business had been given unsupervised access to the victim’s residence.
Detectives also discovered that the billing description associated with the business account had been changed shortly before the payments were processed. Authorities believe the change was intended to conceal where the money was going.
Despite the altered billing information, investigators were able to trace the transactions back to Modzel.
Suspect Allegedly Flees When Deputies Arrive
After obtaining an arrest warrant, Flagler County deputies went to Modzel’s residence on Oct. 9 to take him into custody.
According to the sheriff’s office, Modzel saw law enforcement officers approaching and fled inside the home.
Deputies subsequently located him in the backyard and arrested him.
Modzel was charged with principal to fraudulent use of a credit card, use of another person’s identification and petit theft, second conviction.
He was transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility and later released on a $2,500 bond.
Sheriff Warns Residents to Check Contractors’ Backgrounds
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly criticized the alleged misuse of the client’s financial information and urged homeowners to carefully screen individuals they allow into their residences.
“This guy thought he deserved a Palm Coast ‘staycation’ on his client’s dime,” Staly said. “He changed the account names to try to hide it, but detectives in our General Assignment Unit followed the money trail back to him.”
Staly also encouraged residents to check references and criminal histories before hiring contractors or service providers who will have access to their homes.
“Before you hire someone and give them access to your home, always check their references and criminal history as this was not the first time he had been arrested for theft,” the sheriff said.
Investigators Believe There May Be Additional Victims
Because Modzel operated a business that provided access to customers’ homes, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office believes other residents may have experienced similar unauthorized transactions.
Investigators are asking anyone who believes they were victimized by Modzel or Breezy Clean to contact the sheriff’s office at 386-313-4911.