A local electrician has been charged with felony home improvement fraud

A local electrician has been charged with felony home improvement fraud. Travis Parenteau, 38, of Coventry, pleaded not guilty to the charge in Essex Superior Court on Monday. Police said they made multiple attempts last year to cite Parenteau through State Police and the Newport Police Department but the court finally had to issue an arrest warrant for Parenteau – who was eventually arrested and jailed. According to court documents, Canaan residents Ronald and Donna Merson hired Parenteau in May of 2022 to install a 3-phase electrical converter in their shop for $4,000. Parenteau then asked the Mersons for a $2,500 to order materials. The deposit was paid to Parenteau through Paypal per Parenteau’s request. The Mersons told police that  they contacted Parenteau through texts and email and that Parenteau repeatedly failed to show up to do the job as promised multiple times. The Mersons a refund of the $2,500 on June 21, 2022, but they told police they never received it. Police said Parenteau cut off communications on June 24, 2022. Parenteau faces a possible sentence of up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.