CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) — A contractor charged with receiving over $28,000.00 for a construction job at a Perry Township residence and then failing to complete the work was held for court on theft charges on Tuesday.

Court documents indicate the following charges against 52-year-old Gary William Leasure, of Rochester, Pa., were held for court on Tuesday, March 30:

– Theft By Deception-False Impression, Felony 2
– Receives Advance Payment For Services and Fails to Perform, Felony 3

The charges have been transferred to the Clarion County Court of Common Pleas.

Leasure remains free on $10,000.00 unsecured bail.

A formal arraignment is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. on May 19 in front of Judge Sara J. Seidle-Patton.

Details of the case:

According to a criminal complaint, a known victim hired Gary Leasure of Innovative Custom Cabinetry in 2010 to build a kitchen for her Perry Township, Clarion County home. Leasure was to start the job in 2011.

According to the complaint, Leasure began the project in 2012 but used the wrong finish on the wood.

From 2011 to 2016, the victim wrote Innovative Custom Cabinetry four checks that totaled $28,937.00, and Leasure cashed all four checks, the complaint indicates.

Leasure did some framing work for the kitchen that was estimated to be about $3,000.00 of work. Then, the victim made attempts to get in touch with Leasure by phone, but he would not answer, and he has not attempted to contact the victim to complete the job, according to the complaint.

Charges against Leasure were filed in Magisterial District Judge Jeffrey C. Miller’s office.

He was arraigned in front of Judge Miller at 11:00 a.m. on September 10, 2020.