Allegheny County Judge Kevin G. Sasinoski wondered aloud what a rogue contractor did with the $30,000 he took from customers without doing any work for them.

That was before the judge yesterday sentenced the contractor, Ed Ross, 45, to 11 1/2 to 23 months in the county jail.

Mr. Ross pleaded no contest in July to 24 counts involving about a dozen dissatisfied customers.

By way of answering the judge's musings, defense attorney Bernard Tully explained that his client already had paid $13,500 into a restitution account, and he has promised to pay the rest as long as he remains free on bond while getting paid for other work.

A county sheriff's deputy already had put the handcuffs on Mr. Ross when Judge Sasinoski ordered that he could remain free until Nov. 23, when he is to report to jail to begin serving the sentence.

The contractor also must serve more than 30 years of probation, consecutive to the jail time.

"What you did is despicable. It shouldn't have happened," Judge Sasinoski said.

What Mr. Ross did was prey on elderly clients from whom he took thousands of dollars in payments or down payments on work orders that he never completed.

The judge, after he reviewed a pre-sentence investigation report, doubted whether Mr. Ross was truly contrite. In one interview with a probation officer, Mr. Ross blamed victim Jeff Brenneman, 60, of Fineview, who lost $3,500 on a retaining wall job.

Mr. Ross was quoted as saying Mr. Brenneman "initiated this whole thing," and threatened the contractor and ordered him off the property.

Mr. Tully, again in his client's defense, pleaded for Mr. Ross to have time outside of jail to work "so he can pay these people off, so he can use his ability."

The judge responded, "There's nothing in the pre-sentence report that says he has any ability."

A few of the victims witnessed the sentencing hearing. Some submitted written statements of the impact the thefts have had.

The money that already has been submitted must be disbursed among the victims on a prorated basis before any other court-related expenses are paid, the judge ordered.

After negotiations between Mr. Tully and Assistant District Attorney William J. Becker, Mr. Ross may sell rental properties he and his wife own to pay the balance of the restitution.

Mr. Ross, through his attorney, said he now works only through a labor union and as an employee for another contractor.

He is prohibited from operating his own company, the result of a civil suit filed against him four years ago.

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