(DELAWARE, Ohio) — A home-improvement contractor with a history of defrauding customers has been sentenced to 7½ years in prison for the theft of more than $500,000, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced today.
Marion resident Ryan C. Needels, owner of Clear View Construction, was indicted in August 2023 for accepting large down payments from 21 consumers across nine Ohio counties without completing the promised work. Prior to the indictment, the Attorney General's office sought resolution through a civil lawsuit in October 2022.
“Outright theft from hardworking Ohioans is a sure way to invite legal action from my office,” Yost said. “Unscrupulous business owners should know that we will aggressively pursue justice on behalf of consumers.”
Needels’ criminal case was investigated by the Economic Crimes Unit (ECU) in the Consumer Protection Section of the Attorney General’s Office. Between June 2021 and October 2022, the investigation found, Needels used social media to attract customers, then had them pay significant sums in advance for the construction of pole barns, garages and other home amenities that he never built.
He pleaded guilty to 23 criminal counts, including theft, telecommunications fraud and engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity. His prison sentence includes five years for the ECU case and 2½ years for violating probation stemming from two previous fraud cases in Delaware County.
Ohioans who believe they have been defrauded by Needels or suspect other unfair and deceptive business practices are encouraged to contact the Attorney General's Office at www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Hannah Hundley: 614-906-9113
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