Chelmsford Man Pleads Guilty to Home Improvement Scams

CHELMSFORD, MA - A Chelmsford man has pleaded guilty to multiple charges tied to fraudulently working as a contractor and taking customers’ money for jobs he did not then complete.

According to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, Kenneth Dunne, 54, of Chelmsford, pleaded guilty in Lowell District Court Wednesday to larceny over $250, larceny over $250 by a single scheme, and seven counts of larceny by check over $250.

From June 2014 to September 2015, Dunne operated as a contractor despite losing his license prior to that period, according to a press release. He agreed to perform services including chimney repairs and hardwood floor replacements for his victims, but once the victims paid him for the services, Dunne failed to complete the work for which he had been hired.

Furthermore, according to the district attorney’s office, Dunne also scammed individuals who were seeking employment with his company by asking them to cash his checks from their accounts only for the victims to discover that no money had been deposited and that the defendant had taken their money. The crimes occured in Dracut, Tyngsboro and Lowell.

Judge Thomas Brennan sentenced Dunne to two years in the House of Correction and six years of probation. Dunne’s probation will require him to enter and complete drug court, to abstain from drugs and alcohol, be subject to random screens and to undergo mental health assessments.

“In this instance, the defendant promised his construction services to customers, took payment, and then did not deliver on those promises,” Ryan said in a statement. “This case is a reminder that members of the public should do their due diligence before hiring a contractor or signing a check to a person they do not know. The defendant in this case deliberately exploited individuals who were looking for jobs, and home owners who were looking for a contractor.”

I urge members of the public to reach out to our office if they believe they are victims of a scam. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is,” Ryan added.