While it isn’t something that’s in the headlines too much, home improvement fraud actually happens quite frequently. In short, it’s when someone says they are a contractor and offers to do some work on your home for a certain price. Once agreed, the job is done poorly with low quality materials, then they pressure you to pay a higher amount than what was first stated. If you find yourself being charged with or the victim of this, it’s important to get good representation, such as Douglas Healy. This article is going to look at 5 things that could happen when someone is charged with this type of fraud.
Fines
One of the most common penalties for this type of fraud are fines. The thing about fines, though, is that they can vary greatly from case to case. For instance, one person might only have to pay a few hundred dollars, while someone else might get hit with several thousands. The lawyer will be able to talk to you and let you know a rough number, but remember you shouldn’t bank on this number because it’s ultimately up to the judge. If it’s just a misdemeanor charge, it’ll probably be only a few hundred dollars. On the other hand, a felony charge could bring in fines that are over $10,000. Since it varies so much, you should expect the worst case scenario.
Probation
Another possible outcome would be probation. If a judge gives you this, it means that you won’t have to serve a jail or prison sentence. Even with that said, though, this doesn’t mean you’ll get off scott-free. The exact probation time will depend on what the judge imposes, but you can expect a minimum of 12 months. The judge will also add other requirements, such as weekly check-ins, not being able to go to certain places and not being able to associate with certain people. It might seem like it’s an easy or better alternative, but it can be just as restrictive as being in the jail or prison.
Restitution
Regardless of whatever other penalties the judge imposes, there’s a high chance restitution will also need to be paid. This money will go to the victim for any losses they suffered as a result of the fraud. Depending on the severity of the case, this could be thousands of dollars. Keep in mind, these will need to be paid in addition to the normal court fines. This means that any payments to court fines will NOT go to restitution and vice versa. Any payments that are missed could land you in hot water, so it’s important to make every payment. If need be, you can get on a payment plan to ensure you don’t miss payments.
Jail Time
There’s also a chance you could get sentenced to some jail time. Many times, the judge won’t actually impose a jail sentence or they’ll give a suspended sentence. This means that you’ll have to make sure you meet all the requirements they set and if you don’t, you’ll have to serve the time they stated. As long as you do what is required, there’s a good chance you won’t have to step foot into a jail or prison. Keep in mind, though, this isn’t guaranteed, especially if the fraud was quite bad. A misdemeanor can lead up to 1 year in prison, a felony can lead to multiple years and a fraud on the federal level can result in 10 or more years.
Local/National Registries
One other penalty that could be imposed is being put on local or national registries. Not only will this result in you or the person not being able to work anymore, but anyone can look you up and see that you’re on the registries and the details of the fraud. Again, depending on the details of the case, you might have some additional requirements that go with being required to register. It will all depend on what the judge decides.
Now that you know some of the potential outcomes, you can see why it’s important to get good representation, like Douglas Healy. If you’re being charged, you want to have someone on your side and if you’re a victim, you want someone to help you get the justice you deserve. Regardless what side you’re on, it’s important to sit down with a lawyer to see what the case looks like and to see what the next step is