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Metro Detroit contractor Artimus Brintley went to court to plead guilty.
A victim says she paid thousands to him for a job that was botched by someone she says is a conman.
FOX 2 - Artimus Brintley tried to avoid Rob Wolchek at the courthouse and his questions.
"Hey Artimus, hang on man. I've been waiting for you all this time - stop and talk with me," Wolchek said. "You've got anything to say?"
The backstory:
Wolchek just had to find out why he cheated a lady out of $17,000.
Artimus: "I didn't have any ill intentions at all."
Wolchek: "You pleaded guilty though."
Artimus Brintley pleaded guilty to taking thousands of dollars under false pretenses in his unlicensed, uninsured contracting business - which, featured full-on lies right on his business truck.
Wolchek: "You think he's a conman or do you think he's just a dope?"
Jodi: "I think he's a conman."
Last year, Rob Wolchek caught Tyrone Artimus Brintley posing as a licensed and insured contractor ready to take FOX 2's undercover customer's money. This happened after bailing on a real customer's job.
Jodi says she gave him tens of thousands of dollars to remodel a Detroit house. The project was botched from the get-go.
Jodi says Artimus didn't have any crew so he hired some strangers from the neighborhood for help.
They helped all right - helped themselves to Jodi's new appliances. Great workers.
Jodi bought more new appliances but then says Artimus started a fire in her house.
"He left a heat gun plugged in and it was sitting on top of paint cans and paint thinner, on top of shims," she said. "A bag of shims which is dry wood and paint rags and it caught fire."
Wolchek: "You're thinking he's insured?"
"(I thought) he's going to take care of this," she said.
Wolchek: "And you found out ..."
"We have no recourse," she said.
Next, she says Artimus just bailed on the job and kept her money.
But he was still looking for business. So Rob busted him. He knew Wolchek had the goods on him and actually confessed.
Wolchek: "Are you a licensed contractor?"
Artimus: "No."
Related:
He was charged with taking money under false pretenses and in August pleaded guilty.
In Wayne County Circuit Court, Artimus looked pretty chill for his sentencing.
This guy is so chill he doesn't move a muscle as Jodi read her victim impact statement. The dude was a statue.
"Your actions left my bank account drained, my house unfinished, and me emotionally and financially devastated," said Jodi.
What's Art got to say? Nothing.
Judge Bradley Cobb: "Mr. Brintley would you like to address the court?"
"No your honor," Artimus said.
His attorney, Kiana Franulic, said Brintley is a good guy, even though he's now a twice convicted felon. He had a gun felony a few years back.
"This is more of a business relationship that definitely went sour," said Franulac. "But Mr. Brintley is not the shyster he's portrayed to be."
Judge Cobb would disagree.
"He did plead guilty," Cobb said. "I'm hearing some stepping back from taking responsibility. That's not what I'm hearing am I?"
"No. My client pleads guilty to not being a licensed builder," said Franulac.
According to the court, that's not what he pleaded guilty to. He pleaded guilty to taking thousands of dollars under false pretenses.
Artimus is ordered to pay Jodi $17,000 dollars in restitution and is placed on 18 months of probation.
Here's Jodi after court.
Wolchek: "Has he made any effort to pay you back?"
Jodi: "Not at all."
Wolchek: "He ever say he was sorry?"
Jodi: "No."
Wolchek finally caught up to Artimus after waiting for him for more than an hour.
"I did apologize to Jodi ... watch your step there ... I didn't have any ill intentions at all," Artimus said.
"You pleaded guilty though," Wolchek said.
"For the licensing part, yes," Artimus said.
"You pleaded guilty to taking money under false pretenses or larceny by conversion right?" Wolchek said. "False pretenses."
Artimus: "No."
Wolchek: "No?"
Artimus: "No sir."
According to the court, that's just a flat-out lie.
You can keep on walking Artimus, but you're not going step out of the Hhhhhhhalll of Shame."
The Source: Information for this story is from previous reports, from interviewing a victim and attending court.