BELFAST — A jury found a Monroe man accused of theft by deception guilty in Waldo County Unified Court Feb. 21. 

David Webber, 49, was accused of theft by deception for accepting over $170,000 from his victim by taking payments for home repair and maintenance services that were never completed. He was arrested on October 25, 2018, following an investigation by Maine State Police. 

According to Webber’s November 2018 indictment, from around mid-August 2017 through roughly mid-July 2018, Webber received payments for work he was supposed to be completing for his victim at two separate properties. 

“The Defendant did intentionally create or reinforce the impressions that he had performed, caused to be performed, or incurred expenses for home repair and maintenance services on the plumbing system, heating system, electrical system, flooring, roof, well, septic, garage, and appliances owned by [the victim],” the indictment reads.

It further states that the impressions given were false and which Webber did not believe to be true. 

The victim reportedly came into contact with Webber after he began experiencing plumbing issues at one of his properties and turned to social media seeking someone to make repairs. Webber reportedly contacted the victim and the two met a short time later. 

During the meeting, Webber asked to rent one of the properties that he was called to fix, moving in in August 2017, according to court documents. 

While living in the residence, the victim reportedly paid Webber a “substantial amount of money” for alleged repairs at that residence and the neighboring residence, where the victim lived prior to a July 2018 move to Dixmont when he was unable to get water to the house. 

When Maine State Police officers traveled to the victim’s residence, they were provided with copies of checks written to Webber that totaled $174,455.89.

Over the course of the roughly one-year deception, Webber told his victim multiple times that specific agreed-upon work was being completed, in addition to convincing him a slew of other repairs were needed at the two properties. 

During their investigation into the charge, MSP officers spoke with Oil and Solid Fuel Inspector Dale Hersey, who works for the Office of Professional & Financial Regulation. Hersey reportedly searched licenses related to plumbing, propane, oil, and electrition, which technicians are required to have to work in Maine, according to court documents. 

After a search of their licensing program, it was discovered that Webber held no state licenses nor certifications, including any licenses as an electrician, oil burner technician, propane and natural gas technician, or plumber, all services Webber reportedly told his victim he would tend to at the two properties. 

According to Hersey, Webber was not qualified to undertake most of the work he told his victim he could, would, and did complete. 

Troopers visited Webber at the property to speak with him and execute a search warrant of the residence to see what work had actually been completed. In addition to law enforcement, a number of other professionals assisted at the scene, including Hersey, State Plumbing Inspector Dana Tuttle, Maine Certified Geologist and Manager of the Ground Water District Dwight Doughty, Master Plumber and MaineDOT Senior Technician David Philbrook, and Garrett McKee, owner of McKee Oil. 

During the search, it was discovered that many of the services Webber said he completed had either been completed with outdated or subpar equipment or not completed at all. 

This included the removal and replacement of the radiant flooring which Webber billed his victim over $28,000 for. No evidence was found that either of these tasks had ever been attempted or completed. 

In total, Webber was issued checks for over $84,000 for work he had falsely claimed to have performed. 

Webber is expected to be sentenced in Waldo County Unified Court on Feb. 28 at 1:30 p.m.

Erica Thoms can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com