Father, Son Behind Contracting Business Sentenced To Jail For Ripping Off Customers

Tears of sadness and relief flowed from the eyes of many in courtroom 420 today following the sentencing hearing for owners of Levittown-based Hammertime Construction and Demolition.

The sentencing comforted their victims, who learned the men would owe restitution and serve jail time, while saddening their family members, who learned the men could face two decades in prison.

Ryan Thayer, 29, and John Thayer, 62, both of Bristol Township’s Levittown section, have become notorious throughout the media and Levittown area over the last year for their shady dealings through their local construction business.

On Tuesday, the father and son team were sentenced to state prison for scamming nearly a dozen Lower Bucks residents of roughly $675,000. Both men arrived at court without the assistance of private defense attorneys or public defenders.

The Thayers pleaded no contest in spring to a slew of charges filed against them last year in connection with the case.

Per the judge’s orders, Ryan Thayer will face six to 20 years behind bars while John Thayer will face seven to 20 years in prison. Based on their behavior and the nonviolent nature of their crimes, both could be eligible for parole in about 6 years.

Once released, Ryan Thayer will have to begin paying back $606,600 in restitution to 10 victims, while John Thayer will have to pay more than $481,000 to eight victims. While in court John Thayer noted it’s a restitution he will not be able to pay back. The restitution amounts are based on the amount of victims and money that remains owed to victims.

While John Thayer’s hands trembled during sentencing, moments later the men were led away in handcuffs by sheriff deputies.

“I’m sorry to all the customers, the victims,” Ryan Thayer said before a courtroom filled with those authorities say he bilked. “I’m truly sorry and I want to make this right to the victims.”

The younger Thayer told the court he has been working 60 and 70 hours per week and was willing to put money towards the victims. Prosecutor Marc Furber confirmed Ryan Thayer has been steadily employed at a variety of construction jobs since charges were filed last year.

Furber pointed out that Thayer said previous to sentencing that he could have a check for $10,000 prepared immediately to begin repaying restitution on Tuesday. During court however, Ryan Thayer blamed a business associate for not having the money ready and said he could present the court a $5,000 check on Wednesday.

“I’m a family man and a hard worker,” Ryan Thayer stated.

The 29 year old explained that he took on too much work and did not run the business properly.

“I tried doing as much as I could … I don’t have a business degree,” the trade school graduate and former Bristol Township Zoning Hearing Board member told the judge.

John Thayer stood before Bateman pleading he had little involvement in the business and only wanted to help his son. He further stated his wife started Hammertime Construction in 1993 after he left a job on disability and it closed in 2010, with Ryan Thayer starting Hammertime Construction and Demolition in 2011. He said he worked on dozens of police officer’s houses and had no complaints, adding his son’s business was the one that had trouble and he just tried to help.

“He didn’t listen and got too big, too fast,” John Thayer said. “All I wanted to do was be Ryan’s father and help my son.”

John Thayer’s daughter, Taren, spoke before the judge and called her father a “good guy” who gets along with neighbors and helps with her newborn.

“My husband was too proud to say his business was going bad,” an upset Michelle Thayer said of her husband, Ryan.

She called out her father-in-law for “throwing [Ryan] under the bus.”

Bateman said a pre-sentence investigation report prepared by Ann Wilson of the Bucks County Adult Probation and Parole Department noted Ryan and John Thayer had not followed through with providing documents for the report. Ryan Thayer said he “forgot” and then said he was confused after providing some documents.

The judge noted while Ryan Thayer seemed like he was willing to fulfill the money lost by the victims, Jack Thayer showed little remorse and told Wilson he did not have the funds to pay restitution and therefore would not do so.

The Thayers who spoke in court, all talked of financial struggles since the charges were filed last year. Michelle Thayer said she had to water down milk for her and Ryan’s two young sons and had one of their cars repossessed.

“The impact this has had on the victims can’t be measured,” Furber told the court.

Speaking with reporters after sentencing, Furber said many of the victims were elderly and in need of help when they began doing business with Hammertime Construction and Demolition. The prosecutor said the Thayers preyed on those victims and seemed genuine.

Since their arrest, one of the elderly victims has died, something his wife says was partly caused by stress from the crime committed against them, Furber said. Two other sets of victims have lost their homes and the others have paid out-of-pocket costs to hire new contractors to repair or rebuild their properties.

Several victims testified against the two at a preliminary hearing last year. Many testified they signed “loose” contracts with the men. Victims spoke of the thousands, in some cases, over $100,000 they had to pay to finish the work they say Hammertime Construction and Demolition left for them.

According to testimony from staff at the Bristol Township License and Inspections Department during a preliminary hearing, the Thayers did not have proper permits for the projects they started in the township.

Here’s some of what investigators alleged happened according to court papers:

• Hammertime Construction and Demolition was hired to fix the IHOP in the Fairless Hills section of Falls Township after a car hit it in April. The owner of the eatery paid Ryan Thayer a $10,000 deposit for the work. A subcontractor tiled a bathroom wall that was set to be removed. No other work to complete the job was done. The IHOP franchise owner said Ryan Thayer hung up on him when he called about the work.
• A Levittown resident contracted the company to build an addition and renovate an existing residence. The job was to be worth $107,564, but $80,000 was paid. The resident told investigators that problems with the quality of the work arose. An electrical contractor told the resident he had not been fully paid for his work at the home by Hammertime Construction and Demolition. The family was forced to stay with family during periods of construction, which started in December 2013. Crews moved a wedding dress and electronics so they could perform work. The items were not protected from the construction environment and some electronics were ruined. The wedding dress was found to have items stacked on top of it.
• An older couple in Lower Southampton had their home damaged in August 2013 when a tree crashed through it during a storm. Ryan Thayer signed a $30,000 contract with the couple. The work was not finished. During an alleged call to Ryan Thayer, a secretary told one of the residents he was not available and was in Wildwood, New Jersey. celebrating Irish Weekend. In total, the couple is said to have paid $25,000.
• Hammertime Construction and Demolition entered in a contract with a family burned out of their Goldenridge Drive home in Levittown in April 2013. The project was expected to cost $157,531 and be finished by October 2013. More than $60,000 was paid to the Thayers and little work was completed. The family was given a series of “excuses” and project dates were pushed back. The family was forced to hire another contractor to finish the work.
• In April 2012 an electrical fire on Rocky Pool Lane in Levittown destroyed a home. The resident was approached by Ryan Thayer who offered her a dumpster and said he went to school with her nephew. The woman contracted with Hammertime Construction and Demolition and paid the company $160,182. The project suffered many problems and material inside the house went missing. The woman and her nephew reached out to the Thayers. John Thayer is alleged to have told the family to stop contacting Ryan Thayer because he “didn’t like to talk to customers.”
• A Bensalem metal company contracted with Hammertime Construction and Demolition to repair their office following a December 2011 fire. Much of the work was done incorrectly before the project was abandoned. The metal company owner paid Hammertime Construction $80,000. The business owner was forced to pay $100,000 for a new contractor and to have an architect redraw the plans to work around the shoddy work done by Hammertime Construction and Demolition. The company was finally able to move back into their office in April 2014.

Until Tuesday’s sentencing, the Thayers were free on bail.