DA: Fake contractor stole $50,000

A Delaware County man has been charged with misrepresenting himself as a contractor and taking payments for work that was never completed, the District Attorney's office announced Tuesday.

Charges against Vincent Cottrell, 39, of Upper Darby Township, included theft by deception, receiving stolen property, and identity theft. He was arraigned and released on $75,000 unsecured bail, according to public records.

According to court documents:

Cottrell had been hired by J.D. Kelly Corp., a Bucks County contractor, to help design a website. Without permission Cottrell installed his personal contact information on the site so calls were forwarded to him.

James and Patricia Blaney hired Cottrell, who represented himself as an employee of J.D. Kelly, to build a two-story addition to their Upper Darby home and paid him approximately $52,000. Cottrell never started the project.

Cottrell also took a $15,000 advance from CapAssist, a company that helps finance small businesses. Bank records show that Cottrell used the money from the Blaneys to make payments on the Capassist cash advance.

-Mari A. Schaefer