Police: Contractor with history of fraud took $39,000 and didn’t renovate home

A contractor with a history of fraud is facing another charge for allegedly taking over $39,000 from an older couple and not completing the work.

Dakota A. Smith, 28, is accused of agreeing to renovate the couple’s home in December 2022. During the investigation, police determined that he did not start any of the promised work, stopped communicating with the couple and never returned the large amount of money to the victims, according to a news release from the Albany County Sheriff’s Office.

Police said Smith has a history of embezzlement all around the Capital Region and is facing charges in multiple jurisdictions.

He was charged with one count of third-degree grand larceny. He was arraigned in Rensselaerville Town Court and released under the supervision of Albany County Probation.