A New Jersey contractor has been charged by the Falls Township Police Department after allegedly pocketing a down payment for a sidewalk repair job he could not legally finish, according to court records.
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Justin Michael Wright, 23, of Yardville, New Jersey, was recently charged with theft by deception and receiving advance payment for services and failing to perform.
The investigation began ion January when Falls Township officers responded to a report of a business dispute on Tapered Oak Lane in the Levittown section of the township.
The homeowner told authorities she contracted Wright’s company, JNW Construction, in August 2025 to repair the concrete sidewalks in front of her home, police said.
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Wright provided an estimate totaling $4,146 and required a 50 percent down payment before starting the project, police said.
Police stated the work was never completed because the business lacked a proper license to operate in Pennsylvania.
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The homeowner told police she has not received her $2,073 deposit back.
The homeowner stated she remained in communication with Wright for several months before he stopped answering her calls.
During that time, Wright repeatedly assured her that a full reimbursement check would either be dropped off at her doorstep or sent through the mail, police said. The refund never arrived, police said.
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An officer attempted to contact Wright multiple times by phone. Wright initially replied to a text message asking who was calling. After the officer identified himself and explained the purpose of the inquiry, Wright stopped responding to investigators, police said.
A follow-up by investigators confirmed that the victim had received no further contact or payment from Wright, police said.
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Wright was preliminarily arraigned by District Judge Corryn Kronnagel and released on $5,000 unsecured bail.
Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.
