A Berkshire County contractor was sentenced on Wednesday to eight to 10 years in prison for swindling customers out of thousands of dollars.

Fred Senter, of Pittsfield, was the operator of Northern Stell Buildings and Structures, which specialized in constructing carports and steel structures. Between Feb. 1 and Sept. 1, 2020, he took 50% deposits for jobs that were not completed, according to the Berkshire County District Attorney’s Office.

The 18 victims included residents of Berkshire County, the greater Massachusetts area, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island. A total of more than $300,000 in deposits were taken, according to prosecutors.

Senter was found guilty on 25 larceny counts in April after a jury trial.

Berkshire County District Attorney Timothy Shugrue praised the victims for speaking in court and providing victim impact statements.

“Ultimately Senter’s collected hundreds-of-thousands of dollars out of the pockets of families and small business owners,” Shugrue said in a statement. “The Defendant created and continued a pattern of fraud which was sustained over a period of time. Senter’s attempt to financially rob people with no accountability for his actions is unacceptable. Financial fraud is not just emotionally draining but also places real stress on small businesses and individuals.”