A man previously convicted of scamming an elderly woman for roofing work in Springfield Township is now facing similar charges in Austintown. Charles Zimmerman, 53, is accused of scamming a 78-year-old woman on Forest Hill Drive in December 2024, prompting three visits to her home.
According to an Austintown Police report, Zimmerman, who identified himself as either “Jimmy” or “Vince Calucci,” told the woman he had done work on her roof and demanded payment for it. On the first visit, the woman gave Zimmerman $40, believing him to be an employee of the roofing company. However, after the woman noticed discrepancies, Zimmerman returned on two more occasions, requesting additional payments.
On the third visit, Zimmerman allegedly entered the woman’s home through a door held shut by a dog leash, further escalating the situation. The woman paid him out of fear and to get him to leave. Afterward, she contacted the roofing company, which denied having any employees matching Zimmerman’s description.
The woman later saw a news report about Zimmerman’s previous scam in Springfield Township, which led her to report the incident to the police. Zimmerman had been convicted of a similar crime in Springfield Township in September 2024 and sentenced to probation.
In February, Zimmerman was arrested and charged with three counts of burglary following an investigation. He was arraigned in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court on April 1, with a hearing scheduled for April 17.
In addition to the Austintown case, Zimmerman is also facing charges in Trumbull County related to a separate incident of forgery and theft from a protected class in Liberty Township. This case involves the unauthorized writing of a $2,841 check to Zimmerman, which was allegedly forged by the victim’s son. Zimmerman failed to appear for his scheduled hearing in that case, leading to the issuance of a capias warrant.
Zimmerman’s legal troubles continue to mount as authorities work on both the Austintown and Trumbull County cases.
