Pocono News Section

Contractor's Victims Forced to Wait Longer for His Sentence

Contractor's Victims Forced to Wait Longer for His Sentence - Monday, December 29, 2008 at 10:36PM EST

SUNBURY, NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY- Angry homeowners, bilked out of money by a contractor in Northumberland County, sounded off in court Monday. They were there to hear the sentence for William Wetzel, the owner of Wetzel's Contracting. But they'll have to wait a little bit longer.

Jean Shipe walked into the Northumberland County Courthouse mad. She had one mission: to tell contractor William Wetzel the pain he's caused her. “I think something should be done. He shouldn't just get away with this. He took a lot of people for a lot of money," said Shipe.

For more than four hours a judge heard testimony about how Wetzel bilked 23 homeowners out of more than $50,000. Stephen Hughes has been living with only a half of a roof for two years. “You're sitting there with only a half of the roof and then the slates falling off the roof. I needed the roof done," he said.

After all the testimony the judge said he needed more time to review all the evidence against Wetzel before handing down the sentence. He settled cases with nine customers, but others left with a bad taste in their mouth after the hearing. “The lies that he was just coming out with. We were very upset," said Judy Taylor.

“We're not giving up. We're here for a fight. I would hope we all get our money back, at least part of it," added Shannon Taylor.

Whether that money will be returned and whether Wetzel will spend any time in prison will now come at a later date. Jean Shipe said, “I'm really tired of it and boy, justice takes a long time. Almost three years now, so I'm hoping this is it."

In September, Wetzel pleaded guilty to bilking the customers out of their money. But the judge hasn't said when he expects to hand down his sentence.