BEL AIR, MD—A Harford County man is facing charges after allegedly defrauding senior citizens in the area, offering unnecessary home repairs and presenting forged documents to scare them into paying for his services, according to the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.

David Anthony Desell, 33, of Bel Air, is charged with 12 criminal counts, including passing forged documents, theft scheme under $100,000, and related felony and misdemeanor offenses. Desell lacks an MHIC license and is uninsured.

Detectives began investigating Desell on October 31 after a concerned adult child contacted the Sheriff’s Office, believing their mother was being taken advantage of. According to the Sheriff’s Office, Desell had knocked on the victim’s door in mid-September and offered to make repairs to her home, which turned out to be unnecessary and for “concocted deficiencies.”

The victim, who lives in the Bel Air area, is believed to have been taken advantage of due to her age and cognitive impairment, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Desell allegedly provided her with falsified paperwork, invoices, licenses, and photographs to convince her that the repairs were necessary and urgent. For example, the Sheriff’s Office says Desell convinced the victim to purchase a new garage door for $3,124, but only a $418 replica was installed.

A second victim on the same street was also approached by Desell, who told her she had a major structural issue with her foundation that could cause her house to collapse if not fixed before winter.

Desell was arrested at his home on November 5 by the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Apprehension Unit. He was taken to the Harford County Detention Center and later released on $5,000 bond.

As the investigation progresses, detectives suspect more victims of Desell’s fraud. Anyone who has concerns that they may have been taken advantage of is encouraged to contact Detective Sergent at 410-836-5428.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.