ELYRIA, Ohio — A local woman said she lost $50,000 to a home renovation contractor after she had already lost so much. That man is due in court later this morning, facing grand theft charges.

Last August, Lilliemae Blankenship’s home in Elyria was gutted by a fire.

“I pull up. Whole street is blocked off. I’m like oh my God!” said Blankenship. “I hit the ground, severe panic attack, couldn’t breathe…I lost everything my mom left me. I lost everything. My kids lost everything,” she told us.

Insurance gave her money to rebuild. Blankenship said a high school friend, Kenneth Stuart, who goes by his middle name Shaun, had his own contracting company called Simply Carpentry. She asked him to help.

“I trusted him. I knew him for 20+ years,” said Blankenship. “Like, why wouldn’t I trust him?”

See Full Page