Quality Concrete operator pleads guilty to bilking victims out of thousands of dollars

  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va. — A 48-year-old Bunker Hill concrete contractor has pleaded guilty to two charges after he operated without a contractor's license and collected money for work that was never completed, according to officials.

Brian Keith Leopold pleaded guilty to obtaining money by false pretenses and fraudulent schemes in Jefferson County Circuit Court on Monday, according to West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey's office. Leopold made the agreement under an Alford plea, which means a defendant doesn't admit guilt, but acknowledges the prosecution has enough evidence to reach a conviction.

Leopold faces five years probation and is prohibited from doing any concrete or home improvement work in West Virginia without proper licensing, according to Morrisey, who worked on the case with Jefferson County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Adam J. Ward.

Under a plea agreement finalized before Circuit Judge Debra McLaughlin, Leopold must also pay money back to victims in the case, Morrisey said in a news release.

Berkeley County crime: Berkeley County Sheriff's Office seeks help finding witnesses to fatal 2018 hit-and-run

More: 15-year-old girl charged with murder in continuing W.Va. probe that left officer shot

Police survey: Washington County Sheriff's Office seeks community's input on concerns, effectiveness

Morrisey said Leopold, whose business is Quality Concrete, did work without a valid West Virginia contractor's license. In some cases, Leopold collected thousands of dollars from customers without doing any work, Morrisey said. He did work in Jefferson and Berkeley counties.

Local police and the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney's Office, with help from Morrisey's office, worked on the case after the attorney general's office received complaints about work, Morrisey said.

The amount that is due to be paid back to customers is $5,025, according to the plea agreement. The agreement said there are "three sets of victims."

Leopold must pay $200 monthly to customers until they are fully paid back, Morrisey said.

"Defendant agrees he can financially afford that amount," according to the plea agreement. Leopold agrees he will not have any contact with the victims, according to the agreement.

Leopold's attorney, Francine Phillips, said Tuesday her client's plea speaks for itself.

"The goal is to get restitution to the victims," which is what Leopold wants, said Phillips, Jefferson County's managing public defender.

“I’m pleased by the hard work of our office that assisted in this guilty plea, which would not have been possible without Jefferson County Prosecutor, Matt Harvey,” Morrisey said in his release.

"This sends a clear message that anyone attempting to defraud consumers and operate outside the law will be brought to justice. Our office will always protect and defend consumers against dishonest business practices," Morrisey said.

Anyone who suspects they have been a victim of contractor fraud can contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808, Morrisey said.

Complaints can also be reported to the Eastern Panhandle Consumer Protection Office at 304-267-0239.

Information is also available at www.wvago.gov.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Fraud case involving concrete contractor nets two guilty pleas