Ridley contractor gets 5 years of probation after pleading to fraud charges
MEDIA COURTHOUSE – A Ridley contractor was sentenced to five a long time of probation and purchased to pay a lot more than $11,000 in restitution to two victims Friday immediately after pleading guilty to two counts of dwelling advancement fraud.
Ryan M. MacDonald, 41, of the 700 block of Vernon Avenue, entered negotiated responsible pleas in two independent instances before Prevalent Pleas Judge Mary Alice Brennan.
The to start with was claimed to law enforcement in February 2022, when a 72-yr-previous target advised Delaware County Prison Investigation Division Detective Edward Silberstein that she had compensated MacDonald $9,727 in upfront expenditures to mend a deck and railing at her dwelling in Media.
That sufferer said she met with MacDonald in Oct 2021 and he indicated the job would price $19,455 total, such as materials and labor, in accordance to an affidavit of possible induce. A penned proposal mentioned he would consider half the revenue up front, a quarter when it was midway done and the final quarter when the task was concluded.
The sufferer contacted her financial institution and verified MacDonald experienced cashed the test Oct. 13, 2021. He experienced dismantled the deck and railings Nov. 9, 2021, and put in momentary bracing, but still left joists exposed with no decking or railing.
The victim also offered several text messages to Silberstein she had with MacDonald in which he gave numerous excuses for why he had not concluded the undertaking. Silberstein saw a “small amount” of lumber at the victim’s residence, but none of the Trek decking, vinyl railings or PVC facia boards shown as components on the written proposal.
Silberstein was not able to speak to MacDonald by means of the cell phone variety he provided to the target, but did go to his stated tackle and found a truck bearing the name of his organization — Square Up Building — and the detailed telephone selection in the driveway. Silberstein and fellow CID Detective Michele Deery created speak to with a male who said he was the defendant’s brother, but that MacDonald was not household at that time.
In the second circumstance, Silberstein and county Detective Sgt. Joe Hackett responded to a Woodlyn tackle March 21 and spoke with an 84-calendar year-previous sufferer who said he experienced contracted with MacDonald in Oct 2021 to create a front porch overhang.
That target stated MacDonald had quoted him a cost of $7,500 and that he experienced supplied MacDonald a $3,500 deposit. That examine was cashed, but MacDonald unsuccessful to show up to get started the venture Nov. 5, as agreed, or drop off any products. The victim explained he attempted to call MacDonald a number of times by cell phone.
MacDonald came to detectives’ headquarters March 22 in reference to an energetic arrest warrant on the earlier case and presented a assertion that he experienced cashed the check for $3,500 but failed to purchase products or get begun on the overhang job.
Assistant District Lawyer Brian Denk, standing in for Assistant District Lawyer Liz Schneider, head of the Economic Crime Unit, indicated restitution of $3,605 need to be paid out to the 84-calendar year-outdated victim very first, and $8,019 to the 72-year-aged sufferer 2nd.
MacDonald might petition the court docket to terminate supervision with the agreement of the commonwealth immediately after two yrs if he has manufactured entire restitution, underneath the negotiated plea labored out with protection counsel Melina Micich.
MacDonald was also purchased to supply a DNA sample to state law enforcement. Neither MacDonald nor Micich commented Friday in advance of the sentence was imposed.