Oregon man pleads not guilty of cheating elderly homeowner
A man from Brownsville, Ore., is accused of accepting money for a construction project without doing the work. Nicholas Michael Layton, 37, entered a plea of not guilty in District Court in Polson Jan. 25 to felony charges of theft and exploitation of an elder or disabled person.
Layton made his appearance via the Zoom platform.
According to charging documents, on Aug. 28, 2024, Layton entered a business relationship with a homeowner to remodel a basement. He allegedly accepted $14,350 for the job. He indicated that he had contracted with an engineer to prepare drawings and purchased supplies.
A relative of the homeowner did some investigating and couldn’t locate anyone who had heard of Layton. The relative also checked area building supply outlets, and again, no one heard of Layton. Next, the relative checked with Layton’s landlord, who indicated that Layton had vacated his unit and owed back rent.
The relative also located another possible victim in Flathead County, who had fronted Layton more than $60,000.
Judge Molly Owen set the case for trial July 14. Layton remains at liberty.