Developer Gets 12 Years in Housing Fraud Case
Monday, Aug 17, 2009 | Updated 11:30 PM EST
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A man gets 12 years for taking money to build homes he never worked on.
UPPER MARLBORO, Md. -- A Prince George's County judge has sentenced a housing developer to spend 12 years in prison after a fraud scheme cost potential homebuyers more than $1 million.
Leon Coleman, 40, of District Heights, was found guilty of eight counts of theft over $500 and eight counts of failing to put money in an escrow account.
On Monday, Judge Leo E. Green Jr. sentenced Coleman to 120 years in prison, suspending all but 12. He also ordered Coleman to pay restitution of almost $100,000 to each of five victims.
Coleman and his wife, Emma Coleman, were charged with making contracts with would-be homebuyers to build new homes.
Authorities said the homebuyers paid more than $1 million to the Colemans, who did no work on the projects.
Copyright Associated Press
Posted Monday, Aug 17, 2009 - 11:22 PM EST
