Police Build Case for Contracting Work Paid For but Not Done in Utica

A case has been built around an Oneida County contractor whom police say was paid but did not do any work.

The Utica Police Department says that a person hired a contractor to do home repairs in April 2022.  A $3,500 deposit was made for the work but the victim told police that the work was not done, nor had the contractor returned the money.

The victim told police that several attempts had been made to have the money refunded.  These were allegedly denied by the contractor and the work was still not done.

The UPD began investigating after being contacted by the victim.

According to a written release from the UPD, "the contractor produced a receipt with the signature of the victim alleging that that the money had been paid back to the victim. Upon speaking with the victim regarding the veracity of the receipt, it was learned that the suspect had created the document and forged the signature, and that the money in fact had never been returned."

The contractor, identified as 36-year-old Christopher Shaugnessy of Westernville, New York, was charged with the following:

• Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree
• Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the Second Degree