A Niagara Falls man pleaded guilty late last week before Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to one count of first-degree scheme to defraud, according to the Erie County District Attorney's Office.
Prosecutors said David Whitman, 31, admitted that he collected $22,000 in deposits from five different customers for whom he agreed to perform roof repairs between March 30, 2019, and Sept. 10, 2019.
Whitman, who was the sole owner and operator of Whitman Metal and Roofing, admitted that he never performed any work on the homes of the victims, which were located in Cheektowaga, Depew, Derby and Williamsville.
Whitman faces a maximum of four years in prison when he is sentenced June 1.
He was released on his own recognizance in the case, but remains in custody for an out-of-state detainer, according to the Erie County District Attorney's Office.
