A Plymouth man has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for swindling hundreds of thousands of dollars from desperate homeowners during the pandemic. Steven Docchio, 59, was found guilty of four counts of larceny over $1,200 and will spend two-and-a-half years behind bars, with nine months suspended for a total of 10 years of probation.
During the pandemic, Docchio posed as a contractor, targeting vulnerable homeowners who were eager to renovate their swimming pools. He offered unrealistic timelines for completion and falsely claimed special access to building departments and material vendors, gaining their trust before exploiting it for financial gain.
As the scheme unraveled, Docchio collected over half a million dollars from his victims - money he never intended to use to complete the work. The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office described Docchio's actions as "so-called contractor" who "made promises to homeowners that he never delivered upon."
The victimhood runs deep in this case. According to the DA, Docchio not only stole from his clients financially but also their trust and faith in others. The district attorney's office is hoping that the defendant's imprisonment will bring a measure of closure to those who were scammed.
As part of his sentence, Docchio was ordered to pay restitution and prohibited from engaging in any construction or landscaping work during his probation period.
During the pandemic, Docchio posed as a contractor, targeting vulnerable homeowners who were eager to renovate their swimming pools. He offered unrealistic timelines for completion and falsely claimed special access to building departments and material vendors, gaining their trust before exploiting it for financial gain.
As the scheme unraveled, Docchio collected over half a million dollars from his victims - money he never intended to use to complete the work. The Plymouth County District Attorney's Office described Docchio's actions as "so-called contractor" who "made promises to homeowners that he never delivered upon."
The victimhood runs deep in this case. According to the DA, Docchio not only stole from his clients financially but also their trust and faith in others. The district attorney's office is hoping that the defendant's imprisonment will bring a measure of closure to those who were scammed.
As part of his sentence, Docchio was ordered to pay restitution and prohibited from engaging in any construction or landscaping work during his probation period.
what a relief for all those homeowners who thought they'd got someone legit to do their pool renovation 
that guy's been playing them like a fiddle and stealing half a million bucks 
10 years of probation, not enough time if you ask me 
. Like, what's the appeal of targeting people when they're already vulnerable? He preyed on desperation and made a killing (literally). It's not just about the money, it's about the trust he broke – it's crushing for these homeowners who trusted him with their finances 
. This guy's lack of empathy is staggering. Glad he's getting some time behind bars, but 10 years of probation seems like a joke to me 
. Restitution and a ban from construction work are good starts, though 
This guy sounds like a real piece of work... I mean, 2.5 years is still a pretty long time, but at least he's getting the message that swindling people isn't cool 
. I feel so bad for all those homeowners who were just trying to get their pools done and got taken advantage of 
. It's not right that this guy made off with half a million bucks without even doing any work 
. Hopefully his time in the slammer brings them some peace of mind 
.
. The fact that he was able to collect over half a million dollars from his victims is just staggering, and it's clear that his actions caused significant emotional distress as well 
. Thankfully, justice has been served, and Docchio will be serving time for his crimes, which is a necessary step towards bringing closure to the victims and their families 
. It's also worth noting that the courts' decision to order restitution and probation periods shows that they're taking a proactive approach to ensuring that those who are scammed don't suffer in silence 
.
... I mean, hundreds of thousands of dollars stolen from people who were already struggling? That's just crazy. But at the same time, I can see why they wouldn't want to give him 10+ years. It's a weird balance between holding him accountable for his actions and not being too harsh on someone who's going to have a hard time finding a job after this 
... still, nine months of probation is way too short in my opinion 
[Image of a snake oil salesman with a "Fake" stamp on it]
, collects their trust and money 
! 2.5 years is still way too long for someone who should've known better 
His "contractor" skills were straight outta a bad joke 
. Who needs promises when you can just take and run? 
Closure for victims is great, but what about those who never got their homes fixed or money back? 
. He manipulated them so badly that they didn't even realize what was going on until it was too late 
.
. Two-and-a-half years in prison is still a relatively light sentence considering what he did, but at least it's something 
. The fact that he preyed on people who were desperate during the pandemic takes it to another level... totally unacceptable 
.
. Glad he's finally getting his comeuppance, I guess. 2.5 years behind bars is nothing compared to the emotional trauma he inflicted on those homeowners