By James Allen Daily Journal Media
FARGUS FALLS, Minn. (Daily Journal Media) – A Fargo contractor has been formally charged with felony theft by swindle in Otter Tail County District Court after taking money for the repair and replacement of shingles on a church steeple.
Gregory Deforest Johnson, 71, of Fargo was charged on Feb. 4 and could face up to ten years in prison and a $20,000 fine if convicted of the charge.
Court charging documents say that on Feb. 6, 2024, a church in Otter Tail County received a proposal for repair and replacement of shingles on the church steeple from Greg Johnson Inc.
Records say the $26,000 proposal from Johnson required a $7,000 prepayment to purchase the shingles. The church wrote a check to Johnson on Mar. 17 in the amount of $7,000, which he cashed.
Shortly afterwards, law enforcement was told that Johnson had brought ladders, a bundle of shingles, some scaffolding, a roll of felt, and some lumber to the church. Because of no communication from Johnson, in July of 2024, the church made a report with law enforcement, as the items were abandoned at the church
Church officials attempted several times to reach out to Johnson and later discovered that his number had been disconnected and he had not been to the church for some time.
Court documents say that when a member of law enforcement left a business card at Johnson’s residence, he later spoke with an investigator by phone claiming that one of his employees had quit and that the particular employee was the one who would have climbed the steeple. Johnson also told the investigator that he was unable to find another employee who would climb the steeple, so that is why he had not been to the church to complete the job.
When the investigator asked why he did not return the church’s telephone calls, Johnson said that he had been having telephone issues and had eventually gotten a new phone number and that he had planned to find a good time to come back to the church and if not, he planned to make arrangements with the church to return the $7,000.
Court records say that following that conversation, Johnson stopped communicating with law enforcement and the church entirely.
Johnson has not made an appearance in court and has not been processed at the Otter Tail County Detention Center.
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