John Bartos
PITTSBURGH — A felony theft charge against a Boardman home improvement contractor has been dropped in Pennsylvania.
John Bartos, 43, had his case resolved on Wednesday during a scheduled hearing before Magisterial District Judge Matthew Brungo in Allegheny County. Court records show that the original charge of third-degree felony theft by deception was withdrawn.
The case was instead moved to a non-traffic court level. Bartos pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of disorderly conduct. Records show he was able to pay and resolve a total financial penalty of about $500 in court costs and fees.
The Northern Regional Police Department originally filed the charges following an April incident in Marshall Township. Investigators said a homeowner paid Bartos a $2,500 deposit for home repairs. A crew started the work but left without finishing it. Police filed the felony charge after Bartos failed to return the money by a set deadline.
Bartos was arrested in Boardman on May 13 and later transferred to the Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh, where he was held without bond until his hearing.
Bartos has a history of theft convictions in Ohio. He previously pleaded guilty to multiple thefts in Trumbull and Mahoning counties for stealing from his clients. Those cases resulted in jail time, probation, and orders to pay back more than $160,000 to his victims.