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STATEN ISLAND, NY - Richmond County District Attorney Daniel M. Donovan, Jr. announced today that a guilty plea has been entered by former home improvement contractor Jimmie Cartrette (DOB: 3/22/1968) of Arden Avenue, to the class D felony charge of Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree as well as the class E felony charge of Scheme to Defraud in the 1st Degree. At his March 16, 2007 sentencing date, Cartrette will be sentenced to 2 ¾ to 5 ½ years in prison by State Supreme Court Justice Leonard Rienzi who accepted his plea today.

Cartrette was originally arrested in August 2006 on the charges of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the 2nd Degree. In October 2006, he was named in an indictment which charged him with seven counts of Grand Larceny in the 2nd Degree, a Class C felony, two counts of Grand Larceny in the 3rd Degree, a Class D felony, two counts of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument in the 2nd Degree, a Class D felony and one Class E felony count of Scheme to Defraud. The indictment’s primary charges alleged that Cartrette entered into contracts to perform home renovations, or new constructions, and failed to fulfill those obligations.

District Attorney Donovan stated, “The home improvement business is populated by hard working individuals who play a large role in helping home owners complete part of the American Dream. This defendant preyed on those hopes and dreams by contracting to perform services and accepting payment for work that he had no intention of completing.”

The indictment alleged that Cartrette, doing business under the name “J&I Contracting” with a license issued under his wife’s name, defrauded homeowners of in excess of $50,000, constituting a Class C felony, at the following locations: 503 Villa Avenue, 10 Alicia Court, 717 Rockaway Street, 24 Beach Avenue, 180 Hopkins Avenue, 46 Evelyn Place and 50 Evelyn Place. It also alleged that the defendant possessed forged checks totaling in excess of $70,000 from the owners of the Evelyn Place residences. Additionally, Cartrette had been charged with defrauding homeowners of over $3,000, constituting a Class D felony, at the following locations: 492 Villa Avenue and 90 Seacrest Avenue.

The investigation was conducted by Detective James Masiello of the NYPD District Attorney’s Detective Squad, under the supervision of Sgt. James Burke and Lt. Frank DiBenedetto. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Jeffrey Curiale, under the supervision of ADA Janet Silvers, Deputy Chief of the Investigations Bureau and ADA Mario F. Mattei, Bureau Chief. Cartrette is represented by Joseph Licitra, Esq.