Smithfield man facing drug charges is also accused by several people of defrauding them on home repair projects in central Maine

A 31-yr-previous man struggling with rates in Somerset County for illegal possession of medicines is remaining accused by several men and women of defrauding them by getting thousands of dollars for house mend assignments that he hardly ever done.

Zacheriah Adams, who has lived in Anson, Farmington, Jay and most recently Smithfield, was arrested in Norridgewock on Oct. 26 adhering to a targeted visitors end in the course of which a Somerset County sheriff’s deputy uncovered fentanyl and cocaine in his car, in accordance to courtroom records. Adams afterwards posted bond and was produced from jail.

Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Mike Mitchell mentioned this 7 days that investigators also are looking at Adams as a suspect in the theft of a debit card and of producing a negative test.

But numerous folks have determined Adams as the male who handed himself off as a contractor, gathered payments from them on the guarantee to entire home fix perform, and then disappeared with their funds.

Zacheriah Adams, in a 2020 jail scheduling picture. Photo courtesy of Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

Brandon Burns, 35, is a Massachusetts resident who operates as a property developer and landlord in Maine with attributes in Rumford and in other places. Adams arrived proposed by a close friend who had previously utilized Adams’ company, A&W Development, and could vouch for his operate. Burns essential a siding occupation completed and in October offered it to Adams, who asked for fifty percent of the payment upfront – $2,500 – to invest in components. Burns agreed and the two signed a deal.

“(Adams) explained he was likely to begin the following Monday,” Burns mentioned. “The pursuing Monday arrived and went, no action, no exercise. … I gave him a few days. You know, factors take place — weather, and many others. And then I began calling him. He wouldn’t answer the telephone. Nothing at all, nothing at all, … and then his cell phone obtained shut off.”

Not able to get a maintain of Adams, Burns mentioned he received back in contact with the close friend who place him in get in touch with with Adams and discovered out that the mate had subsequently been taken for more than $22,000.

Burns said his friend asked the sheriff’s place of work to do a wellness test on Adams, and it was Mitchell who went to Adams’ household on Quaker Lane in Smithfield but could not track down him. Mitchell mentioned this 7 days that deputies nonetheless do not know exactly where Adams is.

Burns posted a concept to a local community Facebook webpage Nov. 9 inquiring Waterville residents if anybody experienced data on Adams. To his shock, the submit blew up. By the finish of the thirty day period, it experienced 152 shares and 77 remarks, some of which have been persons sharing very similar tales.

Tries to access Adams to respond to the allegations ended up unsuccessful. A cellphone listing for A&W Building was no more time in assistance.

Adams has not been billed in relation to his function as a contractor and Mitchell claimed his business office has so much gained 1 criticism about his get the job done.

Mitchell stated that unless of course any one can confirm Adams took the job intending to default on payments, it is not a prison situation. Legally, “he did not steal money,” Mitchell explained, conveying that it is a case involving a civil breach of contract. Adams is obligated to possibly do the promised work or give the income back again, he mentioned.

Men and women who hired Adams explained they are not in a position to speak to him, as his cell phone amount was disconnected. A 32-year-previous Waterville girl explained she has hired a law firm with the target of filing one thing in small promises court docket. The female, who asked not to be recognized, sent out demand from customers letters in October to Adams’ final recognised address right after she said he failed to execute work on her household in June. He took $4,300 from her as a down payment and then hardly ever responded to her calls or messages.

“That’s a whole lot of cash for a younger family members,” claimed the woman, who’s married with a 1-year-outdated kid. “We nevertheless want to get that get the job done finished. We aren’t ready to do it, since our personal savings have been damaged.”

She mentioned that in pursuing justice, choosing a attorney and launching civil proceedings, it feels like she’s paying out far more and much more of her money with nothing at all to present for it.

In an hard work to reduce some others from executing small business with Adams, she mentioned she’s stapled her need letters to a couple A&W Building indicators she’s found about Waterville.

The girl and some others who spoke with the Early morning Sentinel seemed at a jail reserving picture of Adams to ensure that he was the just one they spoke to about their dwelling advancement assignments.

Adams is scheduled to look in courtroom Wednesday on the drug possession expenses, but Mitchell is uncertain he’ll exhibit.

“I talked to the deputy that arrested him he does not even imagine (Adams) is in Maine,” Mitchell said.

Adams has a felony report that contains convictions for domestic violence assault in 2015, criminal mischief a year later on and other offenses. But courtroom records clearly show he unsuccessful to surface for some courtroom hearings and defaulted on payments. He experienced sent letters to court officers detailing his absences, declaring he experienced combined up court dates or was enrolled in a household rehabilitation method for substance abuse in Portland.

If Adams does not seem for his court hearing Wednesday, Mitchell claimed prosecutors will problem a warrant for his arrest on the drug rates. If they come across he has certainly fled the point out, it’ll be up to the district attorney’s workplace to come to a decision if it desires to extradite him again to Maine.

Brandon Burns’ mate, the just one who had originally encouraged Adams for the operate Burns required performed, echoed the sentiment of many others who stated they had been victimized by Adams.

“I’m no idiot, I know I’m probably to hardly ever see a penny of this cash,” said the man, who also requested not to be recognized. “At the extremely the very least, we can solid gentle on this dude so he will not get other persons.”

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