Man goes to prison in tree-trimming scam

A man charged in a regional tree-trimming scam is going to prison for three years.

Christopher Gibbs, the second of three individuals charged in the scam that targeted the elderly in Greene, Franklin, Butler, and Montgomery counties, was sentenced Tuesday and also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $32,940, according to Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine. 

"Working with other law enforcement around the state, as we did in this case, is important in helping to protect Ohioans from fraud," DeWine said. "We are committed to protecting Ohio's families, especially the elderly who are often targeted in scams like this one."

Victimswere tricked into believing they needed tree trimming or lawn care work because their trees were diseased, damaged, or unsafe, according to a release from DeWine. "The individuals accepted money for work that was never completed, and infiltrated legitimate tree trimming companies to trick their victims into believing they were working with credible businesses," the release said.

Gibbs pled guilty last December to one count of conspiracy to engage in a pattern of corrupt activity, two counts of theft from an elderly person and one count of attempted theft from an elderly person.

As one of three scammers, Gibbs' restitution represents a third of what owed to the victims. His three-year prison sentence will be served consecutive to other sentences he is serving for Clark, Montgomery and Butler counties. The resulting total sentence is eight years.

Gibbs is the second defendant to plead guilty in this case, DeWine said. Timothy Henery pled guilty last October to related charges and was placed on community control for five years, required to attend a community-based correctional facility for in-house drug treatment, and ordered to pay $32,940 in restitution.
 
The trial of the third defendant, Jason Johnson, is scheduled for March, he said.