The federal grand jury alleges that James Black and Tyler Harris deceived an elderly victim into paying nearly $300,000 in fraudulent home repairs.
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN - United States Attorney Andrew Birge announced today that a federal grand jury indicted James Robert Black (a/k/a “Jim Gribble" and “Victor Valentine") and Tyler Maurice Harris for their scheme to defraud an elderly Holland, Michigan homeowner out of nearly $300,000. Harris was taken into custody and appeared today before federal Magistrate Judge Ellen Carmody. Black’s whereabouts remain unknown.
Black, age 55, and Harris, 24, are charged together in a conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Harris also faces a separate charge of welfare fraud. The conspiracy charge carries a possible prison term of 20 years. The welfare fraud charge carries a maximum penalty of up to ten years.
The indictment alleges that Black and Harris defrauded an elderly Holland homeowner of $298,000 through a fraudulent home repair scheme. The homeowner hired Black, who went by the name “Jim Gribble" to do a roof repair. After that, the defendants persuaded the homeowner to pay almost $300,000 for a series of false problems associated with the project, including dangerous working conditions, employee injuries, lawsuits and tax issues.
The investigation into the activities of Black and Harris remains ongoing. Anyone who believes they have dealt with either man and are the victim of fraud should call Homeland Security Investigations at 616-235-3936 or the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 616-808-2034. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Black should call Homeland Security Investigations at 616-235-3936.
Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) is handling this investigation; Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey is handling the prosecution.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
