Theresa contractor pleads guilty to grand larceny

A contractor who took about $27,000 from customers without performing the work pleaded guilty Wednesday in Jefferson County Court to third-degree grand larceny.

Kevin E. Burns,41, Route 11, Parish, entered his plea using a partial Alford plea, meaning he did not admit to all of the underlying facts in the case, but pleaded guilty to avoid a possible stiffer sentence if convicted. Fourteen counts were merged and dismissed.

Mr. Burns, owner of Burns Contracting, Theresa, was charged in a grand jury indictment handed up in November with systematically defrauding several people between August and September 2007 by taking money for contracting repairs he promised to complete, but never did. He also was accused of paying for construction materials with bad checks.

It was alleged that he stole more than $3,000 each from Laurie Smith, Antwerp; Michael S. Cullen, Theresa, and John Doldo III, Watertown. He was accused of taking more than $1,000 from Richard Schneider, Brownville and ,from Linda Brunet, Hounsfield.

It was alleged that he stole more than $3,000 from Wellesley Island Building Supply in the town of Orleans on Oct. 5, 2007, by paying for materials with a bad check and by paying by check for materials obtained from White's Lumber Inc., Watertown, between Sept. 4, 2007, and Sept. 18, 2007, with another bad check..

He was placed on interim probation Wednesday, with possible sentencing set for June 8, although sentencing could be adjourned for a year. As a condition of interim probation, he will be ordered to pay $1,000 per month in restitution for a year. If he does that, he may be allowed to withdraw his felony grand larceny plea and plead guilty to a misdemeanor. In other court activity Wednesday,David J. Parkis,43, of 722 W. Main St., Apt. 3, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault. He was accused March 24 of punching Danielle L. Lee in the face, breaking her eye socket and causing blurred vision.

He is expected to be sentenced June 15 on that charge and 2007 convictions on two counts of third-degree burglary. He pleaded guilty to the charges in March 2007, but never showed up for sentencing in April 2007 and a bench warrant was issued for his arrest.

He had been accused of entering two rental properties in Watertown in November 2006 and stealing copper pipes and other items. When he was arrested March 24, the warrant for his arrest for skipping his sentencing also was executed.