Elgin roofing company president arrested after fleeing

The president of an Elgin-based roofing company, wanted on federal fraud charges, has been caught after two weeks on the lam, prosecutors said.

Authorities said Robert Durchslag, 56, of Aurora, fled arrest Aug. 17, a day after being charged with wire fraud. The charge alleges that his company, Singles Roofing Company, did not pay for more than $1.8 million worth of roofing supplies and equipment it received from an out-of-state vendor in 2009.

Prosecutors said Durchslag was located at a Michigan Avenue hotel last week and taken into custody. He is scheduled for a detention hearing Thursday.

According to court papers, Durchslag is accused of falsifying his company’s bank records and depositing bad checks into the company’s account in order to receive roofing materials on credit from a New Jersey-based supplier. When asked for payment, he told the vendor that his company had been the victim of an embezzlement, authorities said. They also accuse Durchslag of fabricating a letter from a “bank investigator” purporting that Singles had been the victim of a $17.8 million embezzlement.

Durchslag faces a maximum of 20 years in prison if convicted and a $250,000 fine. The indictment is seeking forfeiture of more than $2.5 million.