Colorado homeowners who paid Sopris Solar for an installation, battery, or other solar-related project may now be trying to determine what happened to their money, whether their project can be completed, and what they should do next.
In December 2025, the Colorado Attorney General announced that a statewide grand jury had indicted two individuals associated with Sopris Solar on 11 felony counts.
The indictment alleges that customer payments were accepted for solar-focused projects but that work, equipment, or refunds were not provided as promised.
The direct answer: Affected homeowners should preserve every document, confirm the exact status of the installation, determine whether a lender disbursed money, check permit and utility records, document every loss, and report the matter through the appropriate official channels.
The criminal charges do not automatically cancel a solar loan, refund a deposit, complete an installation, release a UCC filing, or resolve an individual homeowner’s contract.
The indictment is a formal accusation. The allegations have not been proven, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This guide explains the publicly announced allegations and the practical steps a Sopris Solar customer can take without assuming the outcome of the criminal cases.
What Did the Colorado Attorney General Announce About Sopris Solar?
On December 18, 2025, the Colorado Attorney General announced that a statewide grand jury had indicted Nathan Billmaier and Scot Birrell in connection with their alleged operation of Sopris Solar.
The indictment identifies the business entities as:
- CJR Partners LLC doing business as Sopris Solar
- Sopris Solar Ltd.
The Attorney General announced 11 felony counts:
- One count involving alleged racketeering activity
- One count involving alleged racketeering conspiracy
- Seven theft-related counts
- Two tax-evasion counts
The cases were announced under Jefferson County District Court case numbers:
- 25CR2138 for Nathan Billmaier
- 25CR2137 for Scot Birrell
The Attorney General’s announcement states that the alleged conduct involved customers in:
- Eagle County
- Park County
- Prowers County
- San Miguel County
- Summit County
- Weld County
The indictment alleges that customers paid deposits or progress payments for solar installations, batteries, and related construction projects, but that projects were not completed, materials were not provided, and customer funds were not returned.
The state further alleges that hundreds of thousands of dollars were deposited into a Sopris Solar bank account and spent for purposes other than the specific customers’ projects.
Read the Colorado Attorney General’s Sopris Solar announcement and the complete statewide grand jury indictment.
The 9NEWS report about the Sopris Solar charges also brought wider public attention to the allegations.
The Allegations Have Not Been Proven
A grand jury indictment is a formal criminal accusation. It is not a conviction or final judgment.
The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Homeowners should avoid describing allegations as established facts and should not assume the criminal case has already resolved their individual contract or financial claims.
What Does the Indictment Mean for a Sopris Solar Customer?
The indictment may help confirm that state authorities are investigating and prosecuting alleged conduct involving Sopris Solar.
It does not automatically establish that every Sopris Solar customer:
- Was defrauded
- Has the same contract
- Suffered the same loss
- Has a valid cancellation right
- Will receive restitution
- Can stop paying a separate lender
- Can remove installed equipment
- Can hire another contractor without additional review
Each homeowner should document their own transaction.
The important questions include:
- What did Sopris Solar agree to provide?
- How much did the homeowner pay?
- Who received the money?
- Was financing involved?
- What work was actually performed?
- What equipment was delivered?
- Were permits obtained?
- Did the system pass inspection?
- Did the utility issue permission to operate?
- Was a refund requested?
- How did Sopris Solar respond?
Identify the Exact Company and Agreement You Signed
Do not rely only on the Sopris Solar brand name.
Review the legal names appearing on:
- The proposal
- The installation agreement
- The deposit invoice
- The credit-card receipt
- The cancelled check
- The financing agreement
- The permit
- The utility application
- The equipment order
- The warranty documents
A project may involve several separate companies:
- Sopris Solar or an affiliated entity
- A salesperson
- A general contractor
- An electrical contractor
- A subcontractor
- An equipment supplier
- A solar lender
- A loan servicer
- A panel, inverter, or battery manufacturer
Do Not Assume Every Company Shares the Same Obligation
A lender may claim it funded the transaction based on documents it received. A subcontractor may claim it was never paid. A manufacturer may still honor its equipment warranty. A permitting authority may have an open application but no completed inspection.
Identify each company’s role separately.
Preserve Every Sopris Solar Record
Download and save records now. Websites, customer portals, email accounts, cloud folders, and telephone numbers can disappear or become inaccessible.
Contract and Sales Records
- The original proposal
- The complete signed agreement
- Every amendment or change order
- System-design documents
- Equipment specifications
- Production or savings estimates
- Tax-credit representations
- Warranty documents
- Cancellation provisions
Payment Records
- Cancelled checks
- Bank statements
- Wire confirmations
- Credit-card statements
- Receipts
- Deposit invoices
- Progress-payment invoices
- Refund requests
- Refund promises
Financing Records
- The loan application
- The promissory note
- The loan agreement
- The Truth in Lending disclosure
- The payment schedule
- The completion certificate
- The lender’s funding notice
- The current account statement
- The payment history
Communications
- Emails
- Text messages
- Voicemails
- Customer-portal messages
- Appointment confirmations
- Project updates
- Representations about equipment orders
- Representations about permits or installation dates
Project Evidence
- Photographs before work began
- Photographs of all work performed
- Photographs of equipment delivered
- Roof and electrical damage
- Unfinished wiring or mounting
- Equipment labels and serial numbers
- Inspection notices
- Correction notices
- Monitoring screenshots
Create a Written Timeline
Record:
- When the salesperson first contacted you
- When each agreement was signed
- When each payment was made
- What each payment was supposed to cover
- When materials were promised
- When work was scheduled
- What work actually occurred
- When communication stopped
- When you requested a refund
- Every response or promise received
Confirm the Exact Status of the Project
Do not describe the project only as “unfinished.”
Determine which stages were completed.
| Project Stage | What to Confirm |
|---|---|
| Design | Whether engineering or system plans were completed and who prepared them |
| Permit | Whether an application was filed, issued, expired, transferred, or closed |
| Equipment order | Whether panels, batteries, inverters, or other materials were ordered or delivered |
| Installation | Which physical work was completed and by which contractor |
| Electrical work | Whether licensed electrical work was completed and inspected |
| Inspection | Whether the project passed, failed, or still requires corrections |
| Utility interconnection | Whether an application was submitted and approved |
| Permission to operate | Whether the utility authorized the system to operate |
| Monitoring | Whether the system is communicating and producing electricity |
Do Not Assume Installed Panels Mean the System Is Complete
A roof may have panels while the project still lacks:
- An inverter
- A promised battery
- Final electrical connections
- Required labeling
- An inspection
- Utility approval
- Permission to operate
- Monitoring access
Do not energize, alter, or use incomplete electrical equipment without appropriate inspection and qualified technical guidance.
Determine Whether a Solar Lender Paid Sopris Solar
A financed project creates a separate set of questions.
The homeowner may have paid little or nothing directly to Sopris Solar while a lender disbursed a much larger amount.
Request from the lender:
- The date the loan was approved
- The date funds were disbursed
- The amount disbursed
- The person or company that received the funds
- The milestone that triggered funding
- The completion certificate
- The electronic-signature audit trail
- The current loan owner
- The current servicer
- The complete payment history
Review the Completion Certificate
Some lenders fund after receiving a completion certificate or other project confirmation.
Compare the certificate with:
- The actual condition of the project
- The permit status
- The inspection status
- The utility status
- The equipment delivered
- The homeowner’s signature records
When the homeowner disputes a signature or believes the lender funded an incomplete project, request the complete electronic-signature and funding records immediately.
A Lender Dispute Is Separate From the Criminal Case
The lender may not be a party to the criminal indictment.
Send the lender a clear written dispute identifying:
- The account number
- The unfinished or missing work
- The amount allegedly paid to Sopris Solar
- The disputed completion record
- The supporting permit and inspection records
- The resolution requested
Homeowners reviewing the financed price should also read Hidden Solar Dealer Fees and the Tax-Credit Trap.
Should You Stop Making Solar Loan Payments?
Not automatically.
The criminal indictment does not, by itself:
- Cancel a separate loan
- Pause the payment schedule
- Stop late fees
- Prevent credit reporting
- Stop collection activity
A homeowner may have a serious funding or performance dispute while the lender continues to treat the account as active.
Before changing payments:
- Confirm the lender and current servicer
- Confirm the amount due
- Review the default terms
- Submit the dispute in writing
- Request any available payment-assistance or account-review options
- Monitor all three credit reports
- Obtain appropriate legal or financial guidance
Read Will Getting Out of My Solar Contract Hurt My Credit? before assuming that an unfinished installation suspends the loan.
Homeowners whose required payment increased should also review Why Did My Solar Payment Suddenly Jump?.
Document Every Panel, Battery, and Material Delivered
The indictment describes allegations involving both full solar projects and battery installations.
Create an inventory of everything delivered to the property.
Record:
- The manufacturer
- The model
- The serial number
- The quantity
- The condition
- Where it is stored or installed
- Who delivered it
- Whether it appears on the contract
Do Not Sell, Discard, or Install Unverified Equipment
Ownership may be disputed when:
- The homeowner paid only a deposit
- A lender funded the equipment
- A supplier was not paid
- The equipment was delivered but never installed
- The equipment belongs to a lease or PPA owner
- The serial numbers do not match the project documents
Obtain professional guidance before disposing of, transferring, or allowing another contractor to install equipment connected to a disputed transaction.
Check Permits, Inspections, and Utility Records
Local Building Department
Contact the city or county responsible for building permits at the property.
Request:
- The permit application
- The applicant and contractor names
- The permit issue date
- The current status
- The approved plans
- Inspection results
- Correction notices
- Expiration information
- The process for transferring or closing the permit
Colorado State Electrical Board
Depending on the location, the electrical permit and inspection may be handled by the local jurisdiction or the Colorado State Electrical Board.
Colorado requires electrical and solar work to be properly permitted, and contractors are responsible for obtaining permits for work performed by the company.
Review the Colorado electrical permit and inspection information.
Electric Utility
Ask the utility for:
- The interconnection application
- The applicant and contractor information
- The system specifications submitted
- Any deficiencies or missing documents
- The meter status
- The permission-to-operate status
- The process for changing contractors
Do not assume the project is authorized to operate because equipment is physically present.
Can Another Contractor Finish the Sopris Solar Project?
Possibly, but the new contractor should not begin blindly.
Before authorizing additional work, determine:
- Who owns the installed and uninstalled equipment
- Whether a permit remains open
- Whether the permit can be transferred
- Whether existing work passed inspection
- Whether engineering plans remain usable
- Whether the utility application can be updated
- Whether lender approval is required
- Whether manufacturer warranties require authorized installation
- Whether prior work must be removed or corrected
Start With an Independent Evaluation
A qualified contractor or inspector can document:
- Work completed
- Work remaining
- Code or safety concerns
- Missing equipment
- Damaged equipment
- Estimated correction costs
- Estimated completion costs
Request a written report and itemized estimate.
Preserve the Original Condition
Before corrective work begins:
- Photograph every affected area
- Record equipment labels
- Save monitoring and error information
- Save inspection reports
- Save the new contractor’s observations
Corrective work can make it harder to prove what Sopris Solar or its subcontractors originally completed.
What Happens to Equipment and Workmanship Warranties?
An unfinished or abandoned project may involve several separate warranties.
Manufacturer Warranty
The panel, inverter, battery, or other equipment manufacturer may have issued a warranty separate from Sopris Solar.
Ask the manufacturer:
- Whether the equipment was registered
- Whether the warranty has begun
- Whether incomplete installation affects coverage
- Whether another authorized contractor can complete the work
- Whether proof of purchase or installation is required
- Whether labor is covered
Workmanship Warranty
A Sopris Solar workmanship warranty may cover work performed by Sopris Solar or its contractors.
The practical ability to enforce that warranty may be affected by:
- The company’s current operational status
- The exact entity that issued the warranty
- Whether another company assumed the obligation
- Whether insurance or a bond applies
- The terms and exclusions
Do Not Assume Every Warranty Has Disappeared
Separate:
- Panel product warranty
- Panel performance warranty
- Inverter warranty
- Battery warranty
- Workmanship warranty
- Roof warranty
- Production guarantee
- Monitoring agreement
Read Your Solar Company Went Bankrupt and a Servicer Took Over: Is Your Warranty Still Valid?.
The Sopris Solar indictment concerns criminal allegations. It should not be described as proof that Sopris Solar filed bankruptcy.
Check for Mechanic’s Liens and UCC Filings
An unfinished contractor project can create title concerns even when the homeowner paid Sopris Solar.
Subcontractor or Supplier Claims
A subcontractor or material supplier may claim that it was not paid.
Request:
- A title report
- County real-estate records
- Invoices from subcontractors or suppliers
- Lien notices
- Lien waivers previously provided
- Proof of amounts paid to Sopris Solar
Do not ignore a lien notice or assume that paying the general contractor automatically removes every title problem.
Solar Financing UCC Filing
A lender or equipment owner may also have filed a UCC financing statement involving the solar equipment.
A UCC filing is different from a mechanic’s lien, but either can affect a sale, refinance, payoff, or title review.
Read What Is a UCC-1 Solar Lien?.
Where Should Sopris Solar Customers Report Their Experience?
Use the reporting channel that matches the issue. One complaint does not automatically reach every agency.
Local Law Enforcement
The Colorado Attorney General’s consumer guidance states that a homeowner whose contractor took money and did not complete the work should contact local law enforcement and make a theft report.
Provide:
- The complete contract
- Proof of payment
- The project timeline
- Photographs
- Refund requests
- Communications
- Permit and inspection records
- The Attorney General announcement and indictment
Colorado Attorney General Product and Service Complaint
The Attorney General accepts complaints involving:
- Failure to perform a service
- False advertisements
- Misrepresentations
- Deceptive business practices
- Incorrect billing
- Product or quality problems
The office recommends documenting dates, people, communications, and supporting records and clearly identifying the requested resolution.
Use the Colorado Attorney General product and service complaint process.
Colorado Electrical Board
A complaint may be appropriate when the issue involves:
- Licensed or unlicensed electrical work
- Electrical-contractor conduct
- Permit violations
- Work attributed to a licensed electrician or contractor
The Division of Professions and Occupations can address professional licensing issues but generally cannot award private monetary damages or resolve every contract dispute.
Use the Colorado Electrical Board enforcement page.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
A CFPB complaint may be appropriate when the issue involves:
- A solar lender
- Loan funding
- A disputed completion certificate
- Loan servicing
- Payment application
- Debt collection
- Credit reporting
Use the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau complaint system.
Colorado Consumer Credit Unit
A complaint involving a lender, creditor, finance company, loan servicer, or collection company may also belong with the Colorado Attorney General’s Consumer Credit Unit.
Use the Colorado consumer-credit complaint process.
Colorado Secretary of State
Search the legal business names and obtain the filing history for:
- CJR Partners LLC
- Sopris Solar trade names
- Other entities named in the agreement
The Secretary of State is a filing registry. A business record does not prove that the company is operating legally, financially sound, or reputable.
Use the Colorado Secretary of State business database.
How Can You Follow the Criminal Cases?
The Attorney General announced the following Jefferson County District Court case numbers:
- 25CR2138
- 25CR2137
Use the official Colorado Judicial Branch docket search or contact the Jefferson County court clerk for current publicly available case information.
Save Official Notices
Keep:
- The Attorney General announcement
- The grand jury indictment
- Police-report information
- Victim-services communications
- Court notices
- Restitution or claim forms
- Hearing notices
Do Not Rely Solely on Social Media
Online posts may contain outdated information, rumors, incorrect case statuses, or advice that does not apply to a specific homeowner.
Use official court and agency records for current procedural information.
Will the Criminal Case Get Your Money Back?
Do not assume that criminal prosecution will automatically reimburse every affected homeowner.
Potential recovery paths can involve:
- Restitution ordered in a criminal case
- A lender dispute or account correction
- A credit-card dispute, when still available
- An insurance or bond claim
- A manufacturer claim
- A negotiated refund or settlement
- A civil claim
- A mechanic’s-lien or title defense
- Another contract-specific remedy
Each path can have separate procedures and deadlines.
Do not wait for the criminal case to end before preserving evidence, checking financing, monitoring credit, or obtaining qualified guidance about time-sensitive private claims.
Document the Complete Financial Loss
Your loss may include more than the amount paid to Sopris Solar.
Document:
- Deposits and progress payments
- Loan payments
- Interest
- Permit fees
- Inspection expenses
- Storage expenses
- Roof or property damage
- Independent inspection costs
- Correction and completion estimates
- Utility costs while the system remained inactive
- Professional fees
Whether a particular expense is recoverable is a separate legal and factual question.
Sopris Solar Homeowner Action Checklist
Immediately
- Download the complete contract and every attachment
- Save all emails, texts, voicemails, and portal records
- Save proof of every payment
- Photograph the current project condition
- Inventory all equipment and serial numbers
- Create a detailed timeline
Within the Project Records
- Identify the exact legal Sopris Solar entity
- Identify every subcontractor
- Identify the lender and servicer
- Identify the equipment manufacturers
- Identify every warranty issuer
With the Government and Utility
- Check the permit status
- Obtain inspection records
- Check the utility interconnection status
- Confirm whether permission to operate was issued
- Search business records
- Search court dockets
With the Lender
- Request the funding date and amount
- Request the completion certificate
- Request the electronic-signature audit trail
- Request the complete payment history
- Submit the dispute in writing
- Continue monitoring the account and credit reports
For Completion or Repair
- Obtain an independent written assessment
- Obtain an itemized completion estimate
- Confirm equipment ownership
- Confirm permit-transfer requirements
- Confirm manufacturer-warranty requirements
- Document the original condition before new work begins
For Reporting
- Contact local law enforcement when appropriate
- File a Colorado Attorney General complaint
- File a lender or servicer complaint when appropriate
- File an electrical-licensing complaint when supported
- Keep every complaint number and response
Frequently Asked Questions
Was Sopris Solar convicted of fraud?
The Colorado Attorney General announced a grand jury indictment. An indictment is an accusation, not a conviction. The defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
What was Sopris Solar accused of doing?
The indictment alleges that customer payments were accepted for solar and related projects, that work or materials were not provided as promised, and that customer funds were not returned.
Which Colorado counties were named?
The Attorney General’s announcement identifies Eagle, Park, Prowers, San Miguel, Summit, and Weld counties.
Does the Sopris Solar indictment cancel my contract?
No. The indictment does not automatically cancel an individual sales, installation, financing, lease, or service agreement.
Does the indictment cancel my solar loan?
Not automatically. A separate lender or loan owner may continue to treat the financing as active. Request the funding and completion records and dispute the account in writing when appropriate.
Should I stop making loan payments?
Not solely because of the indictment or an unfinished project. Missed payments can lead to late fees, default, collections, and credit reporting.
What if Sopris Solar took my deposit but never started?
Preserve the contract, proof of payment, communications, refund requests, and permit records. Contact the appropriate official agencies and obtain guidance about financial and legal recovery options.
What if only part of the system was installed?
Document everything installed, obtain permit and inspection records, inventory the equipment, and have a qualified independent professional evaluate what remains before additional work begins.
What if Sopris Solar never delivered my battery?
Save the battery specification, invoice, payment record, order representations, and refund requests. Confirm whether the battery was ever ordered and whether any lender funded it.
Can another solar company finish the project?
Possibly. First confirm equipment ownership, permit status, inspections, utility requirements, financing, warranties, and the condition of the existing work.
Can I use the original plans?
That depends on the plans, engineering, equipment, permit authority, and new contractor. A new contractor or engineer may need to verify or revise them.
What if a lender says the project was completed?
Request the completion certificate, signature records, funding documents, permit status, inspection records, and utility approval. Dispute inaccurate completion information in writing.
What if a subcontractor files a lien against my home?
Do not ignore it. Obtain the lien, contract, proof of your payments, subcontractor invoices, and lien-waiver records, and seek appropriate title or legal guidance promptly.
Did Sopris Solar file bankruptcy?
The criminal indictment is not a bankruptcy filing. Do not describe the company as bankrupt without verifying an actual federal bankruptcy case.
Where can I file a complaint?
Potential channels include local law enforcement, the Colorado Attorney General, the Colorado Electrical Board, the Colorado Consumer Credit Unit, and the CFPB, depending on the issue.
Will filing a complaint get my money back?
Not automatically. A complaint documents the issue and may support an investigation or company response, but it does not guarantee a refund, restitution, contract cancellation, or loan correction.
The Bottom Line
The Sopris Solar indictment gives affected Colorado homeowners an important official record, but it does not solve each individual project automatically.
A homeowner may still need to address:
- An unfinished installation
- Missing panels or batteries
- An unreturned deposit
- An active solar loan
- A disputed completion certificate
- An open permit
- A failed inspection
- No permission to operate
- Warranty uncertainty
- A mechanic’s lien or UCC filing
The strongest next step is building one complete file that shows:
- What was promised
- What was paid
- Who received the money
- What work occurred
- What remains incomplete
- What every company and agency has said
Submit the contracts, payment records, financing documents, permits, inspection history, photographs, refund requests, lender records, and company communications through the Solar Exit Colorado Contract Review when you are ready to identify the agreements, obligations, and possible next steps supported by your documents.
Related Colorado Solar Guides
- How to Get Out of a Solar Contract in Colorado: 2026 Complete Guide
- The Solar Salesperson Lied to Me: What Are My Rights in Colorado?
- Hidden Solar Dealer Fees and the Tax-Credit Trap
- Why Did My Solar Payment Suddenly Jump?
- Will Getting Out of My Solar Contract Hurt My Credit?
- Your Solar Company Went Bankrupt and a Servicer Took Over
- What Is a UCC-1 Solar Lien?
- Selling Your Colorado Home With a Solar Lease
Official Sources Used in This Guide
- Colorado Attorney General: Sopris Solar Grand Jury Indictment Announcement
- Colorado Statewide Grand Jury: Sopris Solar Indictment
- Colorado Attorney General: Product and Service Complaints
- Colorado Attorney General: Consumer Credit Complaints
- Colorado State Electrical Board: Permit and Inspection Information
- Colorado State Electrical Board: Discipline and Enforcement
- Colorado Secretary of State: Business Database
- Colorado Judicial Branch: Docket Search
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Submit a Complaint
This article provides general educational information and is not legal, criminal, financial, credit, tax, bankruptcy, construction, electrical, insurance, title, or technical advice. The criminal charges discussed are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty. Contract, refund, financing, restitution, warranty, lien, permit, and recovery rights depend on the specific documents, project, facts, deadlines, and applicable law. Solar Exit Colorado is not a law firm.
