Contractor gets 9 months for taking money without doing work
By Peggy Revell on September 15, 2017.
prevell@medicinehatnews.com @MHNprevell A contractor was ordered to pay restitution and will serve nine months in jail for failing to complete construction jobs after taking tens of thousands of dollars from local residences. Christopher John Wright was sentenced Wednesday at the Medicine Hat Court of Queen’s Bench by Justice Rodney Jerke for 11 charges under the provincial Fair Trading Act and one count of fraud over $5,000, charges he pled guilty to in May. Of this sentence, 47 days are considered served due to pretrial custody. At a sentencing hearing on Sept. 8, the Crown argued for a total sentence of 12 months in jail, while also reading out victim impact statements submitted by those who had given Wright funds for home improvement projects that were never completed. Wright’s defence counsel requested a suspended sentence of 18 months probation and restitution of $1,000 per month until the total is repaid. The charges stem back to 2012 and 2013 when Wright was the owner, operator and sole director of First Choice Sunrooms Ltd., Lamont Sunrooms & Exteriors, and 1693020 Alberta Ltd. Several complainants came forward after they signed a contract with Wright to have patio deck covers, sunrooms and other types of work done. Prepaid deposits were collected, despite Wright not being properly licensed to operate as a prepaid contractor. None of the work was completed during the time frame outlined in the contracts. Complainants sent letters to Wright, cancelling the contract and requesting refunds. 11
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