Springdale police accuse tree trimmer of failing to finish work after cashing check
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Springdale police charged the owner of a tree trimming company with felony counts of fraud after a homeowner accused him of cashing a check for work that was never completed.
John Francis Kotvas Jr., 38, whose last known address was in the 400 block of Short Street in Plum, faces two felony counts of home improvement fraud, according to court records.
Kotvas is the owner of John’s Tree Service, police said.
He also faces charges of theft by deception, engaging in deceptive business practices, harassment, driving without a license and driving while his license was suspended, according to court records.
Kotvas, who was released from custody on a nonmonetary bond, faces a preliminary hearing before District Judge David Sosovicka on Aug. 1.
According to the criminal complaint charging Kotvas, a Walnut Street resident reported to police May 5 that he hired Kotvas to remove a tree from his property Oct. 24 and paid him $1,400, which was the full amount for the job.
Kotvas returned to the home Oct. 27 and began work, the complaint said. The homeowner told police he had to leave and was not there when Kotvas finished.
The man told police that Kotvas only removed a portion of the tree he was hired to cut down and left the parts that were trimmed on the property instead of hauling the debris away, the complaint said.
The man also told police that Kotvas “severely damaged” his and a neighbor’s property by creating “ruts, holes, tire marks and bare dirt patches.”
Police said state law prohibits a home improvement contractor from taking more than one-third of the total amount of a contract for work that will cost $1,000 or more, the complaint said.
The homeowner called Kotvas the following day and the contractor agreed to return to finish the work and repair the damage “within the next week,” the complaint said.
Kotvas told the homeowner in a text message in early November that he would be return in a “couple of days” to do the work, police said. A copy of the texts that were exchanged between the two men was given to investigators.
The property owner told police he was able to reach Kotvas by telephone about a month later, but the contractor only provided him with “various reasons” for why he did not return to finish the work, the complaint said.
The man told police Kotvas did not respond to a call asking him to refund the money to the property owner.
The homeowner told police he filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau on Dec. 1 about Kotvas’ business practices that resulted in a negative listing for the business.
He said Kotvas responded by sending him a profanity-laced email in which he told the homeowner “it’s people like you that give good businesses a bad name,” the complaint said.
Police said they left messages with Kotvas asking him to contact police or the property owner “and make it right,” the complaint said.
Investigators said Kotvas failed to respond to the call from police or contact the homeowner, the complaint said.
Authorities said a database of registered contractors that is maintained by the state Attorney General’s Office shows that Kotvas’ contractor registration expired in March 2021.
PennDOT driving records indicate his license was suspended at the time the property owner witnessed him drive onto his property, the complaint said.
Police said the case was reviewed by an Allegheny County assistant district attorney, who approved the charges that were filed.