Pittsfield man pleads guilty to septic system fraud
Oct. 27—A Pittsfield man pleaded guilty Wednesday in Belknap Superior Court to spending $1,500 paid to him to install a septic system on "unrelated purposes," prosecutors said.
Brian Jeffrey Strouth, 51, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one class A misdemeanor count of unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of New Hampshire's Consumer Protection Act, Attorney General John M. Formella said in a news release.
Prosecutors argued that from Aug. 21, 2019, to Oct. 2, 2019, Strouth convinced a consumer to pay $4,000 to install a septic system. Strouth, who was not licensed to install septic systems, "made ongoing misrepresentations to the consumer as to why Mr. Strouth could not install the septic system," prosecutors said in a news release.
Strouth also forged a septic installation application, then fraudulently told the consumer the application had been filed with the Department of Environmental Services, officials said.
Strouth was ordered to serve 12 months in jail, all of which is suspended for a period of 3 years. As a condition of the suspended sentence, Strouth (or any business owned or operated by him) is prohibited from: performing any work for which a license is required, unless he obtains a license or permit to conduct the work and also obtains court approval; and accepting prepayments for work.
The court also imposed a $1,000 fine and ordered Strouth to complete 40 hours of community service. He paid $4,000 in restitution at the time of sentencing, officials said.
