YC Judge Gives Man 43 Years for Stealing from Elderly

Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane announced that on October 23, 2023, Mark A. Whittington, 64, of Chino Valley, was sentenced to a combined 43.5 years in prison for Fraud Schemes and eight counts of Theft. Whittington was also ordered to pay restitution to his victims. County Attorney McGrane thanked the jury for their careful consideration of the facts and prosecutor Nathan Best for his hard work in preparing and trying the case. McGrane also commended the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and the Prescott Police Department for their thorough investigation into Whittington’s criminal activity.

County Attorney Dennis McGrane stated, “I hope the jury’s verdicts and the lengthy prison sentences deter this sort of shocking and unscrupulous behavior by anyone who might seek to take advantage of retired or elderly homeowners. The sheer amount stolen by Mr. Whittington, and the number of older victims, is shocking. I encourage anyone who is planning on hiring someone to do home repairs to check references and contact the Arizona Registrar of Contractors to confirm that they are a licensed contractor in good standing.”

On August 4, 2023, a Yavapai County Jury found Whittington guilty of Fraud Schemes, Theft, and Contracting Without a License. In a prior case, Whittington was previously convicted of seven counts of Theft and Advertising Without a Contractor’s License, and placed on intensive probation and ordered to repay the money he took from his victims. The new case was prosecuted by McGrane’s office after it was discovered Whittington continued his illegal scheme even after being placed on probation.

In both matters, Whittington contracted with victims to perform expensive home remodeling or repairs, despite not being a licensed contractor.  He took approximately $70,000.00 in total from eight victims despite failing to complete the work he agreed to do. In some cases, he didn’t do any work at all and refused to return his victim’s calls and letters. Whittington portrayed himself as an experienced contractor and targeted elderly and retired victims through various advertisements in the Quad City area, including using multiple business names and fraudulent identities to hide his illegal actions.

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