A local contractor is facing serious charges after allegedly stealing identities and leaving thousands of dollars worth of work incomplete. James Nunamaker, hired for a patio project in South Fayette Township, took $135,000 from the Chmiel family, but according to police, only about $50,000 worth of work was completed before the contract was terminated.
David and Shelley Chmiel, who hired Nunamaker a year and a half ago, expressed their frustration, noting that despite promises and assurances, the work was never finished, and materials they had paid for were never delivered. “We kept getting assurances and promises, but never saw any of those materials,” David Chmiel said.
To make matters worse, police allege that Nunamaker also used the Chmiels’ credit card information at restaurants and bars. When asked about the charges, Nunamaker defended his actions, claiming that he always provided lunch and drinks to his workers during hard days. He insisted that he would fight the charges and felt he had done nothing wrong.
The Chmiels admitted that they did not conduct a background check before hiring Nunamaker, which has since led to their frustration with the situation. Nunamaker is also facing multiple similar charges related to previous cases of unfinished work and identity theft.
