Former Derry man gets 2 1/2 to 7 years for home improvement swindle

CONCORD - A former Derry man has been sentenced on a class A felony count of theft by unauthorized taking or transfer and a class A misdemeanor count of unfair or deceptive acts or practices in violation of the New Hampshire Consumer Protection Act.

Jason Tessier, 49, pleaded guilty on Monday to the charges stemming from his criminal misconduct as a home improvement contractor. Tessier stole $60,563 from the victim who paid Tessier $108,000 as a prepayment for rebuilding the victim's house that had burnt down, according to a release from the Attorney Generals Office sent out on Wednesday. In addition to his theft, Tessier misused the $60,563 in violation of the terms of an Assurance of Discontinuance he entered into with the Department of Justice in 2018.

The Court sentenced Tessier to serve 2 ½ to 7 years in the New Hampshire State Prison for the theft by unauthorized taking or transfer charge. On the unfair or deceptive acts or practices charge, the Court sentenced Tessier to 1 year at the Hillsborough County House of Corrections, fully suspended, with the suspended sentence ending 3 years after release on the theft by unauthorized taking or transfer charge.

If you or someone you know has been the victim of home contractor fraud or theft, please contact your local police department and file a consumer complaint with the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau at: https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints/index.htm.