Harrison County contractor pleads guilty to fraud

BRIDGEPORT, W.Va (WDTV) - A Harrison County contractor pleaded guilty to defrauding over 70 customers out of more than half a million dollars, officials said.

Bradley Glaspell, of Salem, West Virginia, the owner and operator of Over the Top Roofing, LLC, and Helping Hands Home Improvement, pled guilty in federal court to “Wire Fraud,” according to United States Attorney William Ihlenfeld.

Glaspell falsely advertised his businesses on social media, claiming to be a licensed contractor when in fact he was not, Ihlenfeld said.

Glaspell allegedly required down payments for materials but then failed to complete the work as promised and used the money he collected for his own personal expenses.

The fraud committed by Glaspell totaled $542,000, officials said.

Glaspell’s victims were from Doddridge, Gilmer, Harrison, Lewis, Marion, Monongalia, Ohio, Preston, Randolph, Ritchie, Taylor, Tucker, Upshur, and Wetzel counties in West Virginia, and Washington and Fayette counties in Pennsylvania.

Glaspell faces up to 20 years of incarceration and fine of up to $250,000.

Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Danae DeMasi-Lemon is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

The investigation was led by the West Virginia State Police and the Internal Revenue Service and supported by the West Virginia Attorney General’s Office. Numerous county prosecutor’s offices, sheriff’s departments, and police departments assisted with investigating the matter and the gathering of evidence.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Michael John Aloi presided.

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