Two Columbia families are named in a lawsuit filed last week in St. Clair County Court which alleges collusion in an attempt to hide the assets of a now-defunct corporation.

The lawsuit claims the managers of JLP Homes LLC, JLP Design and Build LLC and Yellowstone Properties LLP violated the Illinois Fraudulent Transfers Act by conveying three properties in Columbia in order to prevent recovery of damages awarded in a July 2 judgment against JLP Homes LLC.

Dale Poetker and his son Jonathan Poetker are listed as managers of JLP Homes and JLP Design and Build.

Mark Frierdich and his son Steve Frierdich, as listed  “general partners” of Yellowstone Properties, and Linda Frierdich – Mark’s wife and Steven’s mother – is stated as exercising “operational control” over Yellowstone Properties.

All three businesses operate out of Columbia, with Linda also being a part-owner and broker of The Linda Frierdich Group of CENTURY 21 Advantage Real Estate, Inc.   

The July 2 judgement of $82,151.07 followed a jury trial which resulted in a verdict entered in favor of Kenneth J. Caluwe on May 14.

That litigation arose from a claim and counterclaim  filed in 2023 involving a construction contract dispute between Caluwe and JLP Homes.

Caluwe filed the Oct. 28 lawsuit one day after receiving a “debt spreadsheet” from the attorneys for JLP Homes which indicated negative equity of $5,671.29 for its existing properties in addition to credit card debt exceeding $40,000 and a balance owed to two vendors exceeding $49,000 – a total debt of approximately $95,000.

In the latest suit, Caluwe contends that Jon and Dale Poetker “began transferring the assets of JLP Homes to JLP Design (and Build) for the purpose of defrauding Caluwe and preventing Caluwe from collecting the judgement in his favor” following the May verdict.

The filing also alleges that Mark, Steven and Linda Frierdich “acted in concert with (the Poetkers and their corporations) by transferring their interests in 900, 901 and 905 Nola Lane,” located in the Ogle Estates subdivision in Columbia, from JLP Homes to JLP Design and Build.

The lawsuit also notes properties at 640 and 655 Valley Drive in Columbia and property in Mascoutah that are not listed on JLP Homes debt sheet. 

Attached as exhibits in the lawsuit are several warranty deeds transferring the Nola Lane properties from Yellowstone Properties and JLP Homes to JLP Design and Build on June 18.

The filing also contains a warranty deed transferring interest in an Edwardsville property from JLP Homes to JLP Design and Build dated Aug. 5.

Real estate transactions recorded by the Monroe County Clerk’s Office show the 900, 901 and 905 Nola Lane properties being transferred to JLP Design and Build on June 18 for  consideration of $110,000, $890,000 and $93,000, respectively.

Mortgages for the properties of $493,000, $365,500 and $358,7000, respectively, were issued to JLP Design and Build by Citizens Community Bank, also on June 18. 

Citizens Community Bank is also mentioned in the lawsuit in an exhibit showing a mortgage modification extending a maturity date of the mortgage on the Valley Drive properties one year, with a new date of July 6, 2026.

The modification implemented on July 6, 2025, the same date as the expiration date of Yellowstone Properties.

The first count of the lawsuit alleges violation of the Illinois Fraudulent Transfer Act against the Poetkers and their LLCs and seeks a mandatory injunction to void the transfers of the Nola Lane and Mascoutah properties to JLP Design and Build with ownership to be transferred to Caluwe.

The suit is also seeking attorneys fees and litigation expenses in excess of $30,000 and punitive damages in the sum of $75,000 each from Jon Poetker, Dale Poetker, JLP Homes and JLP Design and Build for “willful, wanton, intentional, malicious, fraudulent, oppressive and unjustified” conduct.

The second count is seeking similar injunctions and compensatory and punitive damages against Mark, Steven and Linda Frierdich and Yellowstone Properties for the Nola Lane properties in addition to enforcing a lien against those properties. 

 As reported in the Oct. 29 issue of the Republic-Times, JLP Homes published a legal notice beginning Oct. 1 which announced its dissolution and notifies individuals who believe they may have a claim against the company of a filing deadline.

The article also notes the recent creation of JLP Design and Build.

The lawsuit states that LLC was created in 2024 but did not become active until recently. 

The filing also alleges a pattern of Jon and Dale Poetker “acting in concert” to establish LLCs for the purpose of constructing properties in Monroe, St. Clair and Randolph counties “then dissolving those construction companies and (LLCs) to avoid their creditors before forming new (LLCs) to continue with their business of constructing residential homes.”

Per the Illinois Secretary of State “Business Entity Search” website, Dale Poetker was the agent of Columbia-based Alliance Building Contractors LLC, which was involuntarily dissolved on Nov. 12, 2021, and JLP Homes LLC, which was terminated on Sept. 26, 2025.

Jon Poetker was named as the manager of Wessel Farm Estates LLC, which was involuntarily dissolved on July 13, 2018, and Beaver’s Tractors & Implements LLC, which was involuntarily dissolved on Aug. 12, 2016.