Contractor accused of deceiving homeowners

BLACKSTONE -- A Rhode Island contractor sought in five Massachusetts towns for allegedly conning homeowners out of thousands of dollars, including one family whose yard became a parking lot for an abandoned backhoe, faces charges in the Bay State.

Gary Letts, 46, of East Providence, R.I., was arrested by Blackstone police on Friday evening on 11 warrants for larceny-related charges, detective Wayne Mowry told the MetroWest Daily News.

Letts was arrested after his release Friday from the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston, R.I., where he served for several months on similar charges, Mowry said.

Letts allegedly arranged jobs with homeowners in Massachusetts and Rhode Island to do work on their driveways and build additions, but disappeared after taking their money and doing little or no work, according to Mowry.

Christine Bolduc of Blackstone alleges that she lost $38,100 to Letts. She and her husband, Brad, saw a newspaper advertisement for Letts, met with him, and signed a $69,000 contract in 2003 for a two-car garage and addition. The Bolducs paid Letts $38,100 in three payments, giving him the third installment last August when he showed up with two workers and a backhoe. The workers dug a hole and left, leaving the backhoe in the back yard.

When Christine Bolduc called the number on the backhoe, she was told that Letts had leased it and had never paid, and the company had been looking for it.

Police in Blackstone, Bellingham, Plainville, Attleboro, and North Attleborough all had warrants for his arrest. Letts is scheduled to be arraigned in Uxbridge District Court this morning, Mowry said.