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Joseph Ford, the 53-year-old owner of 1st Call Electric LLC, sits in the Montgomery County lockup in lieu of a $50,000 bond, said District Attorney Kevin R. Steele in a statement Monday, Jan. 23.
Investigators began looking into Ford's contracting business last August, when two jilted customers walked into the Lower Providence police station and complained that they'd been ripped off. When a preliminary probe turned up dozens of similar complaints from homeowners across the county, police handed the case over to the Detective Bureau, DA Steele said.
That investigation uncovered a web of fraud entangling dozens of homeowners throughout greater Philly, including in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties as well as Montco, authorities wrote.
In at least 64 cases, Ford's 1st Call LLC took deposits from customers to purchase and install electrical generators, the DA said. That never happened, according to the criminal complaint. In 12 more cases, authorities said Ford took cash in exchange for general electrical work that he never performed.
The amounts charged varied, but prosecutors say Ford was able to pocket $474,185 for work he simply didn't do.
Daily Voice was not able to locate an attorney for the contractor, and the phone number for 1st Call Electric appears disconnected as of Monday. Reviews on the company's Yelp page paint a picture of an absentee owner.
"Joe, if you're still reading these reviews, please call us back," wrote one customer. "We've done business with you for over the past 20 years please don't make us take you to small claims court for skipping town with our money and not providing our generator."
"Purchased a generator ($7000+) over a year ago and now we are getting completely ghosted," wrote another. "Nobody should do business with this company."
DA Steele said that criminal complaints filed against Ford in other Philly-area counties will be consolidated into the Montgomery County case. The contractor faces dozens of counts of theft, receiving stolen property, deceptive business practices, and related offenses.
As of Monday, Ford awaits his preliminary hearing before Magisterial District Judge Cathleen Rebar on Tuesday, Jan. 31.
Homeowners who believe they have been defrauded by 1st Call Electric should contact the Montgomery County Detectives Bureau at 610-278-3368.
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