Minnesota Man Gets 13 Months For Ripping Off Alzheimer's Victim & 86 Year Old Man Out Of Tens Of Thousands In Separate Home Repair Scams

In St. Paul, Minnesota, The Star Tribune reports:

• James C. Somers, 57, of Roseville, was given a 13-month stayed sentence by [District Judge Teresa] Warner in October after he admitted swindling two vulnerable St. Paul residents out of tens of thousands of dollars for shabby or nonexistent work on their homes and yards. On Tuesday, he returned to court to ask Warner to impose the sentence rather than serve 10 years on probation. He was given credit for 100 days he has spent in custody.

• According to two criminal complaints, Somers persuaded a St. Paul woman with Alzheimer's disease to write him 11 checks totaling more than $29,000 in the spring and summer of 2008. Only two of the checks had notations that gave some hint as to what they were for -- one for $950 said "tree removal," the other for $1,900 said "garage door."

• He also was accused of swindling an 86-year-old St. Paul man in May out of $25,000 for roof repairs when all he did was spray-paint the roof vents so they appeared new. Somers pleaded guilty in the latter case; the former was dismissed. He must pay restitution to both victims.

Source: Two who preyed on elderly, vulnerable sentenced.