A pool contractor at the center of a WCCO investigation was expected to change his plea to guilty on Wednesday. Instead, he changed attorneys. 

Victims have waited years for justice. Now, justice will take a little longer. 

Pool contractor Charles Workman was expected to accept a plea deal in federal court. He's accused of fraudulently soliciting more than $750,000 from Twin Cities families. 

"I have so many feelings about this. My family lost $75,000, but more so, he lived in my community. He was my son's hockey coach," Cassie Fisher said.

Workman promised a swimming pool to more than a dozen families. Instead, backyards were left in ruin or without any work done at all. The indictment for wire fraud says Workman spent some of what people paid him on child support, at the casino and on a horse and saddle. Fisher was in court to learn the latest.

"I wanted to see him and I wanted him to see me just to know that we're not giving up. There's been such a delay in the case," Fisher said.

That delay is growing longer. Instead of changing his plea, Workman changed his attorney.

They asked for more time for the new attorney to get up to speed.

"It was frustrating, but at the same time they asked for 60 days, and the judge was very, very — said 'No way. Two weeks.' They came to an agreement on 30 days," Fisher said.

The indictment came in March 2023 following a WCCO investigation. Workman was first scheduled to change his plea to guilty early last year. Then the case seemed to sit idle until this hearing.

"That was a little comforting to know that the prosecuting attorney is saying we still think there's enough evidence here that he has to plead guilty," Fisher said.

We expect to learn mid-August whether Workman will accept a plea deal or go to trial. 

In a separate case, the attorney general's office secured a civil judgment against Workman two years ago. A judge ordered him to pay more than $1 million in restitution. So far, we're told he has not paid a dime.