Contractor who ripped off tornado victims violates terms of probation
A contractor who took money for home repairs from people after the 2019 Memorial Day tornadoes but did not do the work is wanted for violating the terms of his probation, officials say.
Robert Tracy Greene, 56, of St. Paris on Thursday was named a most wanted suspect by Miami Valley Crime Stoppers. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can submit a tip and possibly collect a cash reward by calling 937-222-STOP (7867).
Greene was charged in February 2020 with 20 felony and two misdemeanor counts of theft involving 10 victims in Dayton and Trotwood. He was sentenced in November 2022 to up to five years of community control following his conviction on multiple theft counts and ordered to pay restitution to the victims he scammed, according to Montgomery County Common Pleas Court records.
He now faces five years in prison, according to the Crime Stoppers alert.
“On Feb. 13, 2023, the probation officer has presented to the court that the whereabouts of the defendant have been unknown since Jan. 31, 2023. Wherefore, the court finds the defendant is an absconder and orders that the period of time during defendant’s absence from the jurisdiction of the division of criminal justice services of this court shall not apply as against the community control period herein,” the order signed by Judge Timothy O’Connell stated.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost filed a lawsuit in February 2021 against Greene for exploiting homeowners following the tornado outbreak.
The lawsuit accused Greene, through his business TK Home Improvement LLC, of soliciting homeowners whose property was damaged and taking nearly $100,000 in payments between May 2019 and February 2020 but performing shoddy work or no work at all, according to complaints received by Yost’s consumer protection section.
The Dayton Daily News first revealed the accusations against Greene and another local home improvement contractor in an investigation into complaints from tornado victims that unscrupulous contractors were delaying rebuilding from the 2019 tornadoes.
In 2019, Greene told the Dayton Daily News that he intended to finish the work on the tornado-damaged properties but couldn’t because of open warrants, and that he intended to turn himself in. At that time, he had two warrants out for his arrest. He has been convicted of theft three times for contractor-related accusations: twice in 2012 and once in 2013.
A message was sent to the attorney who represented Greene in his criminal cases.