A Bel Air man, David Desell, 33, has been charged with scamming two elderly homeowners by posing as a home improvement contractor and performing unnecessary repairs for exorbitant fees. Authorities are concerned there may be more victims, and they are asking the public to stay alert.
Desell is facing 12 charges related to fraud and misrepresentation. The investigation began after an adult child of one of the victims reached out to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, expressing concerns that their elderly parent had been targeted by Desell. Investigators discovered that Desell had been soliciting home repair work in an older neighborhood, specifically targeting seniors, some of whom have diminished mental capacity.
According to Detective Christopher Sergent, Desell’s scam typically involved offering free, minor handyman services, such as replacing batteries, to build trust with his victims. Once he gained their confidence, he would fabricate issues with the home, telling them the structure had foundation problems and might collapse. These claims were false, and Desell used fraudulent paperwork, invoices, and even doctored photos to convince his victims they needed expensive, unnecessary repairs.
In one case, a victim was charged more than $3,000 for non-existent repairs, while another was billed more than $400. Desell, who is not a licensed contractor and lacks proper insurance, also provided fake licenses and documents to further deceive the homeowners.
Investigators believe that Desell has been targeting other residents in the same neighborhood and are urging anyone who may have interacted with him to come forward.
Desell is currently out on bail but is believed to have returned to the victims’ neighborhood after his release. He has a prior conviction for theft, and 11 News attempted to contact him, but he was not at home.
Detective Sergent urged the public to remain cautious, especially when dealing with unsolicited offers for home repairs, and to always verify the credentials of contractors before hiring them.