September 26, 2008
A western New York home improvement contractor has been arrested for
repeatedly pressuring an 88 year-old widow into paying more than
$80,000 for home improvements that were never done or were done well
below industry standards.
Bryan Boone, who is charged with grand larceny in the 2nd degree, a class C felony, faces up to 15 years in prison.
"It is particularly troubling when dishonest home improvement contractors use fear and intimidation to steal from the elderly," said Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo. "We will continue to work with local law enforcement to catch contractors who prey on vulnerable senior citizens."
According to court papers, in October of 2007, Boone, doing business as Urban Residential Maintenance, contacted the victim by phone offering to make inexpensive repairs to her Cheektowaga home. She accepted and over the next seven months Boone made repeated requests for payments and was given a total of 70 checks for $82,158.
The homeowner told investigators "When I would complain about how the work was progressing, he would sometimes get very angry and assure me the work was first-rate. As I felt intimidated, I always relented. Similarly, if I questioned a demand for payment, he would sometimes become angry and I would relent."
Law enforcement became aware of the case when Boone went to a local bank and tried to cash the 71st check. When the teller initially declined to cash the check, Boone brought the victim to the bank while he waited outside. When the victim tried to cash her check to Boone the bank manager called the Cheektowaga Police Department, which then contacted the Attorney General's office.
