A Pemberville man who took money to work on a home but never started the job has been sentenced.
David Salley, 41, appeared Monday in the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Molly Mack.
A Bowling Green couple contacted a handyman services company in November 2021 for work on their Curtis Avenue home.
Salley told them he was a contractor and accepted $4,582 to start the project.
According to the May indictment, the couple told police they paid Salley for construction supplies with the understanding he would complete work on their front porch. Work was supposed to start Jan. 22 but Salley did not show, and no supplies were never delivered. The couple said they were unable to contact Salley using the phone number provided because he had changed his number by that time.
They were eventually able to make contact and agreed to meet on Feb. 22, at which time Salley told them if work was not completed by March 23, he would provide a full refund. On Feb. 25, Salley contacted the couple and told them he would not be doing the project. When March 23 arrived and there was no refund, the couple contacted the police.
Police learned Salley was no longer employed by the handyman services company and that he did not have the money to issue the refund.
He was indicted for theft from a person in a protected class, a fourth-degree felony.
Salley pleaded guilty in August to the amended charge of theft from person in a protected class, a fifth-degree felony.
The couple were 69 years old and 70 years old at the time of the offense.
Defense attorney Sara Roller asked for community control to allow her client to keep working.
Mack imposed a sentence of 14 days in jail followed by three years on community control.
She granted a one-week stay on the sentence. He must report to the jail on Oct. 10.
Salley must have no contact with the couple, to whom he is required to pay $4,582 in restitution.
