A South Strabane Township building contractor has been found guilty of numerous criminal charges for failing to pay subcontractors and vendors for work or supplies at various homes he was building for clients.
However, Michael D. Hammond, 42, of 1392 E. Beau St., was not found guilty of all of the charges that were filed against him.
Following a nonjury trial, Washington County Judge Paul Pozonsky convicted Hammond of one count each of theft by unlawful taking and deceptive and fraudulent business practices and 12 counts of bad checks. He was found not guilty of 16 counts of theft of services, three counts of retail theft and two counts each of theft by unlawful taking and deceptive and fraudulent business practices.
Hammond, who operated Hammond Homes, was charged by South Strabane Township police in August 2007. Hammond is a general contractor who builds homes for customers, according to township police. As the general contractor, he either employs his own workers or hires subcontractors for a specialty service.
Two customers authorized the release of $185,000 from their accounts for work being done on their homes by Hammond. In one case, Hammond reportedly failed to pay subcontractors $63,824. In the other, the client told police that $121,000 in work remains to be done at his home.
South Strabane police also received complaints from several contractors about the bad checks that Hammond had written in payment for their services. Police said he wrote $97,166 in bad checks.
A trial was set to begin in May 2008, but Hammond's attorney, Martha E. Bailor of Pittsburgh, failed to appear before Pozonsky. The judge filed a contempt-of-court order against the attorney.
At a hearing in June 2008, Bailor admitted to the judge that she was in contempt. Pozonsky ordered that Bailor pay a fine of $2,500 and be jailed for 10 days, but he suspended the jail sentence as long as Bailor paid the fine within 30 days. The fine was paid within the time frame.
The trial began in November. A verdict was issued by Pozonsky June 17, and Hammond's sentencing was set for 11 a.m. Sept. 9.
Hammond will not be represented by Bailor at the sentencing hearing. The attorney died June 21.