NEW HARTFORD — Two men have been arrested in separate fraud investigations involving more than $9,000 in alleged theft from a homeowner and local business.
Matthew Cummings, 43, of Rome, turned himself in Sept. 4 on charges stemming from a contractor fraud case.
Police said a homeowner reported in May 2024 that they hired Cummings to perform residential construction work and paid him more than $6,000 upfront for labor and materials.
Cummings failed to begin the project and made no effort to return the funds, according to police.
He was charged with one count of grand larceny in the third degree, a Class D felony.
In a separate case, John Feketa, 58, of Westmoreland, was arrested after allegedly writing six bad checks totaling more than $3,000 at Curtis Lumber on Seneca Turnpike.
Police said Feketa wrote and passed the business checks knowing his account lacked sufficient funds.
Curtis Lumber reported making multiple attempts to resolve the matter, but Feketa refused to make restitution, prompting criminal charges.
Feketa was initially arrested by the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office on an unrelated matter and transferred to New Hartford police Sept. 4.
He was charged with one count of grand larceny in the third degree and six counts of issuing a bad check.
Feketa was remanded to the Oneida County Jail.
Both men were arraigned in New Hartford Criminal Court.
