Smithfield man facing drug charges is also accused by several people of defrauding them on home repair projects in central Maine

A 31-calendar year-outdated gentleman facing expenses in Somerset County for unlawful possession of medicine is getting accused by numerous persons of defrauding them by using thousands of bucks for property repair projects that he never executed.

Zacheriah Adams, who has lived in Anson, Farmington, Jay and most recently Smithfield, was arrested in Norridgewock on Oct. 26 adhering to a website traffic cease for the duration of which a Somerset County sheriff’s deputy uncovered fentanyl and cocaine in his car or truck, in accordance to court records. Adams later posted bond and was unveiled from jail.

Sheriff’s Main Deputy Mike Mitchell stated this week that investigators also are seeking at Adams as a suspect in the theft of a debit card and of crafting a poor examine.

But many folks have determined Adams as the guy who handed himself off as a contractor, gathered payments from them on the promise to full home repair service function, and then disappeared with their dollars.

Zacheriah Adams, in a 2020 jail booking photograph. Photograph courtesy of Franklin County Sheriff’s Business

Brandon Burns, 35, is a Massachusetts resident who operates as a home developer and landlord in Maine with houses in Rumford and elsewhere. Adams came suggested by a good friend who experienced beforehand utilized Adams’ corporation, A&W Construction, and could vouch for his get the job done. Burns required a siding position carried out and in October offered it to Adams, who asked for half of the payment upfront – $2,500 – to get elements. Burns agreed and the two signed a contract.

“(Adams) mentioned he was going to begin the following Monday,” Burns explained. “The next Monday arrived and went, no activity, no activity. … I gave him a pair times. You know, things take place — temperature, and many others. And then I begun contacting him. He would not response the mobile phone. Absolutely nothing, very little, … and then his phone bought shut off.”

Not able to get a hold of Adams, Burns claimed he obtained back in touch with the close friend who place him in call with Adams and identified out that the pal had subsequently been taken for far more than $22,000.

Burns stated his good friend questioned the sheriff’s workplace to do a wellness examine on Adams, and it was Mitchell who went to Adams’ property on Quaker Lane in Smithfield but could not find him. Mitchell mentioned this 7 days that deputies nonetheless do not know in which Adams is.

Burns posted a message to a local community Facebook web site Nov. 9 inquiring Waterville citizens if anybody experienced info on Adams. To his surprise, the article blew up. By the close of the month, it had 152 shares and 77 comments, some of which ended up men and women sharing similar tales.

Makes an attempt to access Adams to react to the allegations were being unsuccessful. A cell phone listing for A&W Design was no extended in provider.

Adams has not been billed in relation to his perform as a contractor and Mitchell stated his place of work has so significantly gained a person complaint about his work.

Mitchell explained that unless of course any individual can establish Adams took the work intending to default on payments, it is not a legal situation. Legally, “he didn’t steal revenue,” Mitchell said, detailing that it’s a circumstance involving a civil breach of deal. Adams is obligated to possibly do the promised perform or give the revenue back, he stated.

Individuals who hired Adams mentioned they are not in a position to make contact with him, as his mobile phone range was disconnected. A 32-yr-aged Waterville lady reported she has hired a lawyer with the aim of filing a thing in small claims court. The female, who asked not to be discovered, despatched out demand from customers letters in October to Adams’ final recognised deal with right after she mentioned he failed to complete work on her property in June. He took $4,300 from her as a down payment and then under no circumstances responded to her calls or messages.

“That’s a good deal of funds for a young spouse and children,” mentioned the woman, who’s married with a 1-yr-outdated kid. “We even now want to get that operate finished. We aren’t capable to do it, mainly because our cost savings have been ruined.”

She mentioned that in pursuing justice, choosing a lawyer and launching civil proceedings, it feels like she’s paying additional and far more of her money with absolutely nothing to clearly show for it.

In an effort to prevent other folks from undertaking small business with Adams, she reported she’s stapled her desire letters to a handful of A&W Design signals she’s seen all over Waterville.

The lady and other folks who spoke with the Morning Sentinel seemed at a jail reserving photograph of Adams to verify that he was the a person they spoke to about their property enhancement tasks.

Adams is scheduled to show up in courtroom Wednesday on the drug possession costs, but Mitchell is uncertain he’ll exhibit.

“I talked to the deputy that arrested him he doesn’t even assume (Adams) is in Maine,” Mitchell stated.

Adams has a legal record that contains convictions for domestic violence assault in 2015, legal mischief a yr later and other offenses. But court docket records clearly show he failed to seem for some court hearings and defaulted on payments. He experienced sent letters to courtroom officers conveying his absences, expressing he experienced mixed up court dates or was enrolled in a residential rehabilitation plan for substance abuse in Portland.

If Adams does not seem for his court hearing Wednesday, Mitchell claimed prosecutors will challenge a warrant for his arrest on the drug fees. If they locate he has indeed fled the state, it’ll be up to the district attorney’s place of work to make your mind up if it desires to extradite him again to Maine.

Brandon Burns’ buddy, the just one who experienced originally proposed Adams for the function Burns desired done, echoed the sentiment of other folks who explained they have been victimized by Adams.

“I’m no idiot, I know I’m probably to in no way see a penny of this income,” reported the gentleman, who also questioned not to be recognized. “At the extremely least, we can forged mild on this person so he won’t consider other people today.”

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