A Newton man will have to repay a woman $14,000 after pleading guilty to forgery in connection with a failed home improvement transaction.
David Matthew Sears, 43, received a suspended two-year prison sentence, a suspended $855 fine, and two years of probation during his sentencing Monday in Jasper County District Court.
Sears had originally faced a felony charge for first-degree theft, but that charge was dismissed as part of the plea agreement. Court records indicate the woman provided Sears with a check in August to cover new windows for her home. Instead of completing the work, Sears allegedly issued a fraudulent invoice, cashed the check, and did not respond to the homeowner’s inquiries about the project.
Judge Brad McCall presided over the case and signed the order requiring Sears to return the full $14,000 to the victim.
