Mid-Missouri man charged with consumer fraud

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster filed criminal charges Monday against Terry Wayne Phelps, who has operated under the name "Road Maintenance Construction," for allegedly defrauding a Vichy man into paying $56,000 for substandard paving work.

Koster charged Phelps, 36, with one count of unlawful merchandising practices fraud in connection with the sale of asphalt and paving services to Walter Tiede, age 82, of Vichy.

The felony complaint filed by Koster's office alleges that Phelps misrepresented to Tiede that he had leftover asphalt from a previous job and that Phelps would provide Tiede with an estimate.

The charges also allege that Phelps omitted to disclose to Tiede that the total price for the asphalt job would be $56,000 prior to performing the work. And upon finishing the asphalt work, Phelps misrepresented to Tiede that the value of the work performed was $56,000.

Unlawful merchandising practices is a Class D felony under Missouri law, punishable upon conviction by up to four years in prison and a fine of $5,000 per count.

Bail has been set at $50,000.