‘Handyman‘ Scammed Elderly Victims: Deputies

CLEARWATER, FL — A 19-year-old “handyman” from Clearwater is in hot water after Pinellas County Sheriff’s deputies say he took money from three elderly residents to perform work around their homes, but never followed through on the jobs. Justin Kyle Crist was charged in three separate cases, but the sheriff's office says it is possible there are more victims.

According to the sheriff’s office, a 91-year-old man called the agency in early April to report he had been scammed by a young man who came to his Dunedin home. The victim told deputies the man offered to do landscaping work and convinced him to pay him in advance.

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Crist is accused of driving the victim to his bank, getting money from him and then returning the elderly man to his home before leaving. “The suspect left the victim’s residence and never returned,” a Monday email from the sheriff’s office said.

After the 91-year-old reported the scam, detectives say they identified Crist as a suspect. As it turned out, he was already under investigation into two similar incidents over the past few months, the agency's email noted.

On Feb. 26, Crist is accused of scamming a 69-year-old Pinellas Park woman out of money after she responded to a Facebook ad. Detectives say the woman gave Crist money to buy materials to install a ceiling fan, but he never returned to her home.

On March 27, Crist is accused of approaching a 69-year-old Dunedin work to solicit work. The woman allegedly gave him money to rent a pressure washer to clean the outside of her home, the email said.

“Crist told the victim he would return the following day to start the job,” the email said. “He never returned.”

Detectives caught up with Crist on April 27 and brought him in for an interview. “Crist admitted to the allegations,” the email said.

He was charged with one count of grand theft from a person 65 years of age or older and two counts of felony petty theft. He was booked into the Pinellas County Jail following his April 27 arrest and remained there on Monday, May 1.

Detectives believe there may be more victims in Pinellas County. Anyone who has information about the case or additional victims is asked to call Detective Q. Collamore at 727-582-6200. Patch is not releasing the names of the victims who have come forward.

Booking photo courtesy of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office