RICO INDICTMENT WITH 14 COUNTS OF THEFT FILED ON LOCAL HOME REPAIRMAN

Posted on 8/20/2015

Defendant: Adolfo Castaneda

Prosecutor Ron O’Brien announced today that the Franklin County Grand Jury has returned an indictment against Adolfo Castaneda, age 40, for two counts Petty Theft (M-1), three counts Theft From a Person in a Protected Class (F-5), one count Theft From a Person in a Protected Class (F-3), one count Theft From an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult (F-5), one count Theft From an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult (F-3), one count Theft (F-3), two counts Theft (F-5), two counts Theft (F-5), one count Theft From an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult (F-4), and one count Engaging in a Pattern of Corrupt Activity (F-1), for a total of fifteen counts.  Castaneda owns two companies called AC’s Home Restoration Services and A&J’s Home Restoration which operate as home repair work companies.  Between August 15, 2012 and June 25, 2015, Castaneda entered into agreements with 14 individuals (11 of the 14 victims were elderly and 1 victim with a disability) in Westerville, Worthington, and Columbus promising to complete gutter work, light roofing, tree trimming and other home repair work.  In each case, the victims paid Castaneda but he never performed or completed the work.  Total loss for all victims is just under $50,000.  Originally the victims made complaints to both the Better Business Bureau and Attorney General’s office as a Consumer Fraud but after identifying the number of victims it was referred to local law enforcement.  It is believed that this defendant is still operating as a home repairman and that there might be more victims in addition to those listed in this indictment.  “People should contact their local police department if they feel they have been victimized by this repairman”, O’Brien stated.  O’Brien further stated, “if convicted on all charges, Castaneda faces in excess of ten years in prison.”