Paid for Driveways That Never Came: Repeat-Offender Paving Contractor Sentenced to 5 to 6 Years

Published Oct. 6, 2026. Case statuses are current as of that date.

A Massachusetts paving contractor with a long record of taking customers' money without doing the work has been sentenced to five to six years in state prison after pleading guilty to multiple counts of larceny, Norfolk District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey announced [1][2].

William Pusateri, 59, of Dedham, was sentenced in Dedham Superior Court by Judge Michael P. Doolin for "scamming 11 residents, including senior citizens," out of more than $15,000, according to the district attorney's office [1][2]. NBC10 Boston reported the sentence was imposed the week the DA's office announced it on Thursday, Oct. 1 [2]. After prison, he faces 18 months of probation and must pay restitution in an amount to be set later [1].

Because Pusateri pleaded guilty and has been sentenced, this case reflects a conviction.

How the scheme worked

According to the Norfolk District Attorney's Office, Pusateri took money from victims in Foxboro, Sharon, Dedham and Westwood after promising to work on their driveways or make other home improvements that he did not perform or complete [1]. Investigators used search warrants, bank records and surveillance videos to build the case [1].

The pattern is a familiar one in contractor fraud:

1. The deposit. A homeowner agrees to a driveway or repair job and pays money up front.
2. The delay. Work is not started, or is left unfinished.
3. The next customer. NBC10 Boston reported that after an earlier prison term, Pusateri was sent back to prison this year for violating his probation by accepting deposits from more homeowners following his release [2].

NBC10 Boston said Pusateri had been arrested after doorbell camera footage showed him taking money from more customers, and that other complaints to law enforcement included an elderly Foxboro resident and a single parent who said he paid Pusateri $8,000 to install a wheelchair ramp for his mother [2].

"The defendant stole from the victims who trusted him and took advantage of senior citizens," Morrissey said [1].

A long history

Pusateri has been the subject of NBC10 Boston's "To Catch a Contractor" series since 2022 [2]. According to that reporting:

• He was convicted in a similar scheme in Middlesex County and spent two years in prison after NBC10 Boston reported customers' allegations in 2022.
• He was sent back to prison in 2026 on a sentence of four to five years for violating the conditions of his probation.
• He was convicted of a similar scheme in Worcester County more than a decade ago and spent three years in prison.
• A judge said earlier this year that he had missed restitution payments from previous cases [2].

The sources we reviewed did not say whether the new sentence runs at the same time as, or after, the probation-violation sentence.

Red flags

The Federal Trade Commission lists these warning signs of a home improvement scam [3]:

• A contractor who knocks on your door because they are "in the area," or says they have materials left over from another job.
• Pressure for an immediate decision.
• A request to pay for everything up front or to pay only in cash.
• A contractor who asks you to get the building permits.
• A suggestion that you borrow money from a lender they know.

Before you pay, the FTC also suggests searching online for the contractor's name with words like "scam," "review" or "complaint" [3]. In this case, Pusateri had been the subject of local TV investigations since 2022 [2].

What to do if you're targeted

1. Check the license and insurance. The FTC advises hiring only licensed, insured contractors and confirming a license with your state or county [3].
2. Get it in writing. Make sure the contract lists the contractor's name, address, phone and license number, start and completion dates, and every promise made, with no blank spaces [3].
3. Limit the deposit. "Don't pay the full amount for the project up front," the FTC says, and never make the final payment until the work is done [3].
4. Pay by check or credit card, not cash, so there is a record.
5. If you already paid and the work never happened, send a written demand by certified mail, keep copies, and contact your local police and your state attorney general's consumer protection office [3]. In this case, police and prosecutors relied on bank records and surveillance video [1], so save receipts, texts and doorbell footage.
6. Look out for older neighbors and relatives, who were among the victims here.

Case status (as of Oct. 6, 2026)

Defendant	Court	Status as of Oct. 6, 2026	Source
William Pusateri, 59, Dedham, MA	Norfolk County (Dedham Superior Court)	Pleaded guilty to multiple counts of larceny; sentenced (announced Oct. 1, 2026) to 5 to 6 years in prison, then 18 months' probation; restitution to be determined	[1], [2]
William Pusateri	Earlier cases (Middlesex and Worcester counties)	Prior larceny convictions; 2026 probation-violation sentence of 4 to 5 years, per NBC10 Boston	[2]

Statuses can change.

Sources

1. "Paving contractor sentenced to prison in Dedham," Newport Dispatch, Oct. 2, 2026 (reporting a Norfolk District Attorney's Office announcement). https://www.newportdispatch.com/2026/10/02/paving-contractor-sentenced-to-prison-in-dedham/
2. Ryan Kath and Mike Pescaro, "MA paver gets more prison time after pleading guilty to larceny," NBC10 Boston, Oct. 1, 2026 (updated Oct. 5, 2026). https://www.nbcboston.com/investigations/paver-pleads-guilty-to-new-set-of-larceny-charges-sentenced-to-more-prison-time/4024551/
3. Federal Trade Commission, "How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam," Consumer Advice, July 2022. https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-avoid-home-improvement-scam

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