(CINCINNATI)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced that a Wilmington man has been sentenced to prison and ordered to pay restitution for running a fence scam affecting southwest Ohio consumers.
Phillip R. Sholler Jr., 42, pleaded guilty today to six felony counts of theft, including three counts of theft from the elderly. He was sentenced in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas to one year in prison and ordered to pay $48,466.50 in restitution.
“We’re committed to protecting Ohio families, and we target scams aggressively,” Attorney General DeWine said. “In this case, people paid thousands of dollars for services they never received. Our goal was to help them and to hold the defendant accountable.”
Sholler, who did business as Shollers Fence LLC, was accused of stealing from six homeowners between July and December 2017. According to investigators, he took cash or checks from the homeowners but never installed the fencing and never delivered any materials.
The case was investigated by the Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Unit and the Evendale Police Department. An attorney with the Economic Crimes Unit was appointed by the Hamilton County Prosecutor to handle the case as a special prosecutor.
Consumers who suspect a scam or unfair sales practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at www.OhioProtects.org or 800-282-0515.