BOSTON – A Falmouth man has been sentenced to three to five years in prison in connection with a construction machinery scheme through which he stole money from customers.
Attorney General Maura Healey said Judge Christine Roach followed their recommendation and sentenced Dennis Desgroseilliers, age 69, to three to five years in state prison.
That will be followed by five years of probation with the condition that he have no involvement in or work for any business entities that buy, sell, broker or hold money belonging to another person.
On Nov. 8, 2016, Desgroseilliers pleaded guilty to charges of larceny and money laundering in Suffolk Superior Court.
He was ordered by Judge Roach to report back to court on Dec. 19 for his sentencing, but failed to show up for his sentencing and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
He was arrested on the warrant on March 16 in New Hampshire.
Desgroseilliers owned two construction equipment companies – DJD Associations and Machinery USA.
The AG’s investigation, which began in June 2014, revealed that Desgroseilliers would communicate with and meet various interested buyers, both individuals and companies, who were doing business across the nation and internationally.
These buyers would provide Desgroseilliers with an agreed upon amount for used construction machinery such as excavators, backhoes, and cranes.
However, in most instances, the equipment was never delivered and customers did not receive refunds from Desgroseilliers, who would fabricate various excuses as to why the equipment had not been delivered.
In one case, a customer contacted Desgroseilliers about buying equipment for his company in Nigeria.
The buyer paid Desgroseilliers $78,000 for an excavator and $80,000 for a wheel loader, but the equipment was never delivered, despite repeated requests from the buyer.
In another instance, Desgroseilliers received $110,000 from a Pennsylvania shipping company for two pieces of heavy duty construction equipment, but the company never received the equipment or a refund.
Desgroseilliers stole more than $635,000 from victims who paid him for construction equipment that was never delivered. He was indicted in March 2015.
