A North Texas man and his girlfriend have received federal prison sentences for fraud violations in the Eastern District of Texas.
According to U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston, 44-year-old Tommy Ray Williams of Terrell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud on August 10, 2021. On March 23, he received 180 months in federal prison from U.S. District Judge Amos Mazzant.
Williams’ girlfriend, 33-year-old Whitney Jane Law, pleaded guilty to deliberately concealing her knowledge of her boyfriend’s crimes. Judge Mazzant also handed her an 18-month sentence in federal prison.
Additionally, the couple must pay joint restitution of $820,900 to their victims, most of whom are elderly.
According to court records, Williams and other conspirators were handed remodel referrals from a third-party company. The conspirators then called the homeowners and scheduled a site inspection.
Sometimes, Williams traveled to the homeowner’s residence to discuss the type of remodeling needed with other conspirators.
According to Featherston, Williams would demand large sums from the homeowner before and immediately after the work began, claiming the payment was necessary due to the high costs of materials needed for the project.
After the homeowner submitted the payment, work would begin on their homes. Workers would come to the residence and start demolition, destroying flooring, roofing, sheetrock, and plumbing.
Eventually, work discontinued, and homeowners would attempt to contact Williams, who would initially respond before stopping all communication.
Williams and his co-conspirators defrauded more than fifteen homeowners and a credit card processing company of over $800,000.
“The elderly are often the target of fraud, and contractor fraud is a common avenue to take advantage of our greatest generation,” said Featherston. “This is where old-fashioned values come into play, watching out for our neighbors who, just maybe, are being taken advantage of. Before hiring someone to do work around your home, check their business reputation.”
Featherston added that the United States Attorney’s Office and the FBI would continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute those who take advantage of the elderly.
The general public is urged to call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) if they or someone they know is over 60 years old has been a victim of fraud.