BENNINGTON, Vt. (AP) — Vermont State Police have filed dozens more fraud charges against a Shaftsbury man, accusing him of defrauding people in deals involving hay, maple syrup, farm equipment and collectible model cars.
Richard Blackmer, Jr., 38, was initially arrested in April, after a monthslong investigation involving police in Vermont, Massachusetts and New York. He had pleaded not guilty to 30 charges, the Bennington Banner reported.
Police have filed 66 new charges against him. They include 45 additional counts of false pretenses, 20 new counts of bad checks and one count of identity theft, Vermont State Police said Thursday. The charges have been filed with the Bennington County state’s attorney, police said.
Blackmer would get customers to buy additional deliveries of hay and require them to pay up front, often saying he was giving them deals and then fail to deliver the hay after he got the payment, police said.
He also defrauded people of maple syrup, maple syrup and farm equipment, and collectible miniature race cars, police said.
It was not immediately known if Blackmer is being represented by an attorney. No phone listing exists in his name.
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