A Bel Air man was arrested last week and charged with posing as a home improvement contractor, allegedly defrauding local senior citizens into paying him for work that was either never completed or completed with false documentation.
David Anothony Desell, 35, is charged with seven felony counts ranging from theft and forgery to obtaining property of vulnerable adults valued at $1,500 to $25,000, according to court records.
Desell also faces five misdemeanor charges, according to court records, for acting as a contractor without a license, selling home improvements without a license and related charges.
Harford County Sheriff’s deputies launched an investigation on Oct. 31 after a report from a woman who was concerned Desell was taking advantage of her mother, according to a Monday news release from the sheriff’s office.
The woman reported that in September, Desell knocked on her mother’s door in Bel Air, offering his services to make repairs to her home that police said turned out to be unnecessary and were for “concocted deficiencies,” according to the release.
Police said they made contact with a second Bel Air resident who alleged Desell had also knocked on their door, informing them that there was a crack in their home’s foundation. Desell allegedly told the homeowner that if the crack wasn’t addressed by winter, the home could collapse, according to the release.
Desell allegedly provided falsified and fabricated paperwork, invoices, licenses and photographs to scare victims into agreeing to costly home repairs that were never completed or were completed with false documentation, police said.
Police said Desell billed another homeowner $3,124 for a Coachman brand garage door, and after securing the payment installed a replica door valued at just $418.
Desell was taken into custody by the Harford Sheriff’s Office Warrant Apprehension Unit at his home without incident on Nov. 5, the release said.
He was held at the Harford County Detention Center until his initial appearance in District Court when he was then released on $5,000 bail, according to the release.
Police said they believe there might be additional victims and are asking anyone with concerns to call detectives at 410-836-5428.
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Hubbard at mhubbard@baltsun.com, 443-651-0101 or @mthubb on X.
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