West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey announced that a Putnam County contractor has pleaded guilty to two felony charges stemming from an investigation by his office, the West Virginia State Police and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia.
Last year, Attorney General Morrisey filed suit against Robert E. Jones, who was doing business as A Personal Services and HR Electrical. The lawsuit accused Jones of violating state consumer protection laws with home improvement projects in Putnam, Kanawha, Mason and Jackson counties.
Today, Jones pleaded guilty to two felony counts of aggravated identity theft in federal court. Jones had gained access to the victim’s identity through his false and deceptive contracting schemes.
“Contractors who defraud consumers must be held accountable, and I’m proud of my office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the State Police for doing just that,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “The state’s consumer protection laws require contractors to do professional work, and our office will vigorously pursue con artists who try to operate outside of the law.”
In 2021, the State asked the court to hold Jones in contempt for his failure to adhere to a court order requiring him to turn over certain documents and information, which according to the petition, he failed to produce.
Jones will be sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, located in Huntington, on April 25.
