NEWPORT — Shane Bergeron, 37, entered a no contest plea on Monday to several charges of Home Improvement Fraud across Orleans and Essex Counties. The plea addresses multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, consolidating previous legal proceedings into a single resolution.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Bergeron faces a suspended sentence of two to five years, with 120 days to be served immediately, followed by probation.
This agreement, however, hinges on certain conditions being met, including an unusual request by Bergeron’s attorney, Jill Jordan, for victims to waive their right to pursue civil suits. Jordan disclosed that Bergeron has arranged significant compensation for the victims.
Judge Rory Thibault, presiding over the case, along with the victims’ attorney, Duncan Kilmartin, emphasized that the court would not enforce any agreement that strips victims of their rights to file civil claims. Kilmartin, representing two of the victims, firmly opposed the waiver condition.
The case, which initially came to light in August 2023 after Bergeron’s arrest for similar offenses in Glover, has seen an escalating number of victims from various towns including Newport and Derby. .
Additionally, the court stipulated that Bergeron is barred from any employment in the home improvement industry as part of his probation terms.
Formal sentencing is set to be scheduled, where the final terms of Bergeron’s plea will be confirmed.
