SUNRISE BEACH, Mo. — A Camden County man has been charged with theft after allegedly taking thousands of dollars for dock work that was never finished.
Joseph Harrington Fortner, born in 1962 and from Sunrise Beach, faces charges in Camden County Circuit Court for stealing $750 or more.
Court documents state that in spring 2023, Fortner was hired to remove a swimming platform and add two extensions to a dock. The victim said he was initially quoted $13,000 for the job and paid $6,000 upfront.
By June 2024, the victim reached out to Fortner about finishing the work. Fortner denied the original estimate and gave a new price of $27,000. He requested an additional $7,000 plus $4,067.86 in materials, which the victim charged to his credit card at a business in Osage Beach.
After June 2024, Fortner stopped contacting the victim. When questioned by police, Fortner claimed other clients had emergencies and said the victim’s dock issues were merely “cosmetic,” not structural. He promised to complete the work when possible.
As of April this year, no further work had been done. The victim terminated Fortner’s services and requested his money back. Police instructed Fortner to return the materials or reimburse the victim, but neither happened by June.
A warrant for Fortner’s arrest has been issued.
