Contractor to make some restitution
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Esther Sawyer, of Bellevue, spoke for many of the victims of Ed Ross when she learned that the jail-bound contractor had begun to pay restitution for cheating his customers.
"I'll believe it when I see [the check]," said Mrs. Sawyer, 71, a retired dispatcher for Bellevue police.
She gave Mr. Ross $400 in 2007 to do some cement work. He started it, never finished and never returned her money, a trait he demonstrated time and time again with other customers, many of whom are elderly.
Mr. Ross, 45, of the North Side, pleaded no contest in July to 11 counts of theft by deception and 11 counts of failure to make required disposition of funds involving dozens of dissatisfied customers.
Common Pleas Judge Kevin G. Sasinoski sentenced Mr. Ross to 11 1/2 to 23 months in the Allegheny County Jail. He is to report to the lockup on Nov. 23 to begin serving the sentence. He must then serve more than 30 years of probation. He also is to pay $30,000 in restitution.
"What you did is despicable," Judge Sasinoski said on Oct. 22 when he sentenced Mr. Ross. Some of the contractor's elderly victims sitting in the courtroom nodded their heads in agreement.
The victims praised the work of Assistant District Attorney William Becker, who prosecuted the case, and Detective Patricia Copanzzi of the district attorney's office, who investigated dozens of claims against Mr. Ross.
Although it was believed that Mr. Ross had paid $13,500 into a county restitution account last month, he had given it to his attorney, Bernard Tully. It wasn't until late Friday that Mr. Tully turned that money over to the Allegheny County Department of Court Records. Mr. Tully blamed the delay on a procedural problem.
Eric Feder, deputy director of the department, said Mr. Tully can contact him if he has any future problems with depositing restitution money. Mr. Feder said the $13,500, minus a $60 state fee, will be distributed to the victims on a prorated basis.
"They should have their checks before Thanksgiving," he said.
And what about the remaining $16,500 in restitution?
Mr. Tully said Mr. Ross and his wife, Tammy, may sell a rental property to raise that money.
"I'm working with him on that," Mr. Tully said. "I do think he is making a real effort to pay the restitution. In a whole, whole lot of these cases, the victims are out of luck. It's a little unusual for victims to get something back."
TUDI Mechanical Systems, of McKees Rocks, and Standard Air & Lite are accepting nominations for the 11th annual Heat for the Needy program.
The program, which provides free heating systems for families, will select a minimum of 12 recipients to receive new heating systems. After the nominations are received, all nominees are evaluated and personal visits are made to each home to further determine the level of need.
The Heat for the Needy program has provided more than 95 heating systems to families since it began in 1999. In addition to TUDI and Standard Air & Lite, the program is helped by local suppliers and businesses who donate in-kind supplies and services.
To nominate an individual or a family, send their name, address, telephone number, current form of heat and a letter explaining why they are worthy of a free furnace to heatfortheneedy@tudi.com; fax to 412-771-7737; or mail to TUDI Mechanical Systems, c/o Heat for the Needy, 343 Munson Ave., McKees Rocks, PA 15136.
The deadline for nominations is Dec. 4. Recipients will be announced on Jan. 1, and the heating systems will be installed during that month.
First Published November 12, 2009 12:00 am
