CAMBRIA COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Duncansville man faces felony charges for allegedly taking thousands of dollars from a Johnstown man that hired him to build an outdoor patio/kitchen/gazebo.
Shawn Warner, 46, of Warner’s Landscaping, was hired for this project at the 50 block of Fairfield Avenue in Johnstown, according to the affidavit. The contract/proposal was signed and dated in April, and the client paid Warner $8,000.
Construction began in June, and the client told Cambria County detectives that Warner and his workers showed up for approximately three days. The only work that was completed was the excavation of a frame around where the patio was to be built along with 2B shale put into the dug out area.
After those three days, the client said Warner dropped all contact with him, citing that he made several attempts to reach out and leave messages with no reply. No workers showed up to complete the work, either.
Detectives noted that in an interview with Warner Sept. 16, he admitted that the only two things completed on the contract were the excavation and the shale work. Warner also said that they had a verbal agreement to alter the contract, though there was no written adjustment. Additionally, he said he kept some of the materials/items that were to be used for the completion of the project.
Warner was arraigned Thursday for receiving advance payment for services and failing to perform as well as theft by deception.
He has an unsecured bail of $50,000 with a preliminary hearing slated for Nov. 18.
Court documents show that Warner was also arraigned Thursday for a similar incident that took place in November of 2020. He was charged with receiving advance payment for services and failing to perform with another unsecured bail of $50,000 set.
The preliminary hearing for this incident is slated for Wednesday.