Harrison police accuse home improvement contractor of taking money up front for work that wasn't done

Harrison police have charged a home improvement contractor with half a dozen felony counts after two residents reported that they paid him money up front for work he never completed.

Jason Raymond Mager, 46, of the 400 block of Ridge Avenue in Springdale faces two counts each of making false statements to get victims to sign a contract, theft by deception and deceptive or false business practices. All are felonies.

Mager was released from custody on a nonmonetary bond and ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing Jan. 18 before District Judge Carolyn Bengel, according to court records.

Police wrote in a criminal complaint that a couple reported Sept. 24 they hired Mager in February to enclose their porch.

They told investigators they paid him $6,800 cash, but he never did the work, the complaint said. The couple told police that before reporting Mager they contacted him several times by telephone and sent him text messages to give him a chance to perform the work, but he made excuses for why he could not do the project.

The couple gave police a copy of the contract they and Mager signed along with a receipt for the bank withdrawal they made to pay him, the complaint said.

Three days after the first couple reported the alleged theft, police spoke with a Harrison resident who told them they paid Mager $4,000 up front on July 12 for fencing work, police said.

They told police that Mager sent them an invoice on Aug. 10 listing all the materials needed for the project, the complaint said.

On Aug. 24, Mager put in 12 of the 16 fence posts that were needed but never returned to complete the job.

They also told police that Mager repeatedly made excuses for why the work was left unfinished. They gave investigators a copy of the agreement they signed with Mager as well as a copy of the canceled check that he cashed.

Mager is awaiting trial on a felony theft count filed June 22 by Allegheny Valley Regional Police, according to court records.

Mager’s name did not appear during an online search of the state Attorney General’s list of registered contractors.

In December 2015, Mager pleaded guilty to misdemeanor counts of theft and receiving stolen property filed by Frazer police. He was sentenced to three years of probation, court records show.