Nocatee Homebuilder Pleads Guilty to All 45 Felonies, Must Repay $8.7 Million to Local Families

A former Nocatee custom homebuilder pleaded guilty to all 45 felony counts on June 30 and agreed to repay more than $8.7 million to local families whose dream homes were left half-built, according to the Seventh Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office. For the thousands of families buying and building in fast-growing Nocatee, the case is a stark reminder of how quickly a construction deal can turn into financial ruin — and of what it takes to hold a builder accountable.

Spencer Calvert, former owner of Pineapple Corporation, entered his plea before Circuit Judge Christopher Ferebee. Prosecutors say Calvert took upfront deposits from 15 cooperating homeowners in the Vista at Twenty Mile neighborhood, then abandoned their projects — leaving behind homes in various stages of completion, some with only a foundation, others with roofs but little else.

What Calvert admitted to

Calvert pleaded guilty as charged to the full slate of counts filed against him, according to the State Attorney's Office. The charges include an organized scheme to defraud of more than $50,000, multiple counts of grand theft, and numerous counts of misappropriation of construction funds.

Investigators found that Calvert collected deposits meant to pay the subcontractors he hired to build the homes, but never actually paid them. That failure forced several subcontractors to file liens against the homeowners' properties to recover money owed for their labor, services, and materials.

The result, prosecutors said, was devastating: families lost hundreds of thousands of dollars each, then had to pay off liens on their own property and hire new contractors to finish homes they had already paid for.

The restitution deal

Under the negotiated plea agreement, Calvert is ordered to repay $8,722,659.05 in total restitution. At sentencing, he is required to pay $1 million upfront, which will be distributed among the victims based on each family's share of the total loss.

The agreement also carries a wide sentencing range. Calvert faces anywhere from zero to five years in prison, according to the State Attorney's Office. Any prison term would be followed by 30 years of probation, with the possibility of early termination if he pays the restitution in full. A minimum monthly payment will be set at sentencing.

Two additional terms aim to squeeze more money back to the families:

• If any proceeds are recovered from lots still owned by Calvert or Pineapple Corporation, that money must go toward restitution in this case.
• Calvert agreed to execute default judgments in the related civil cases, which allows the victims to pursue claims against the Florida Homeowners' Construction Recovery Fund — a state fund that can help homeowners harmed by dishonest or unlicensed contractors.

An earlier deal that fell apart

This is not the first plea agreement to come before the court. An earlier proposed deal collapsed in February after victims objected that its terms were far too weak, local news reports said. That version would have required only $150,000 in upfront restitution — a fraction of what families had lost.

Among those who spoke out was a homeowner who appears on the reality series Below Deck Mediterranean, whose objections drew added attention to the case. The families' pushback ultimately helped reshape the agreement into the far larger $8.7 million restitution package now on the table.

Prosecutors said the families' losses ran into hundreds of thousands of dollars each — money paid toward homes that were never finished.

Who investigated the case

The case was investigated jointly by the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and Seventh Circuit State Attorney's Office investigators, with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office. Assistant State Attorneys Jennifer Lieb and Monica Smith prosecuted the case for the state.

What happens next

Judge Ferebee is scheduled to impose Calvert's sentence on July 14. Because the deal leaves the door open to anything from probation to a prison term, the hearing will determine how much time — if any — Calvert serves, and how quickly affected families begin to see repayment.

For a community where new-construction contracts are a routine part of everyday life, the outcome carries weight well beyond the 15 households directly involved. Homeowners considering a custom build can reduce their risk by verifying a contractor's state license, understanding lien laws, and being cautious about large upfront deposits.

You can read the State Attorney's official announcement of the plea at sao7.com.

Stay with St. Johns Community Website for updates as the July 14 sentencing approaches. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X, and join the conversation in our Community Forum to share what this case means for local homeowners. For more coverage, read our latest crime and safety stories and community news.