Landscaper Ordered to Repay Customers

A Florida landscaper accused of bilking 23 customers out of their deposits for work never completed has been ordered to hammered to reimburse customers in return for no jail time or felony charges.

Jason Mayhew, owner of Guardian Services, will have to pay $500 a month, to be divided by the 23 customers equally until they are all paid—a total of $51,083.

A judge approved his plea of no contest during a hearing Thursday at the Sumter County courthouse. While the arrangement will prevent him from being charged with organized fraud, it does call for him to be placed on probation for 15 years.

He can ask for the probation to be dropped once the debt is settled.

Assistant State Attorney Mark Simpson said the customers agreed with the deal, wanting Mayhew to stay out of jail and continue to work so he could reimburse them.

“What this case is about is money,” Simpson said.

A couple of customers had won civil suits to get their money back, but Simpson said Thursday’s ruling would be the tool to get him to pay or go to jail.

Mayhew’s business included landscaping and pest control. According to an incident report from the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office, a Seniors vs. Crime official presented the sheriff’s office with 21 complaints of the business not completing or, in some cases, even starting the project after customers had signed contracts and made a down payment.

Most of the transactions occurred in The Villages in Sumter County, between August 2004 and November 2006. Down payments ranged from just under $200 to more than $3,000.

Mayhew also was ordered to pay court costs, but after settling with the customers. At the $500-a-month rate, he should have the debt paid off in 102 months.

The amount does not include any interest or inflation adjustment.

“These people just want their money back,” Simpson said.

Simpson said Mayhew seemed to have used the deposits for personal use, which left him little funds to complete the jobs. Simpson added Mayhew is still working but there is no evidence he is still failing to complete jobs.

Mayhew’s attorney said during the hearing that back problems, as well as the recent loss of an eye, has prevented his client from continuing with the landscaping side.

Source: www.dailycommercial.com