Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte announced that Roger Bernier was sentenced today after pleading guilty in Merrimack County Superior Court to one felony Theft charge, two felony Theft by Deception charges and one felony Issuing Bad Check charge. The Theft charge was brought by the Attorney General’s Office and the remaining three charges were brought by the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office. The convictions arose out of Roger Bernier’s operation of a home contracting business named Ahh-some Exteriors. Mr. Bernier has operated other businesses named E-Z Fit and Altimate Exteriors.

The Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau received 13 complaints from consumers against Roger Bernier and his businesses. The nature of the complaints was that the consumers paid for home contracting services and Mr. Bernier either failed to perform any of the contracted for work, performed only part of the work or failed to perform the work in a workmanlike manner.

Mr. Bernier was sentenced to the House of Corrections for 12 months with all but 5 months suspended, and was given an additional 12 months suspended sentence. He was also sentenced to 5 years probation. Additional conditions of his sentence include that he pay restitution to consumers totaling over $30,000, and that he is prohibited from owning, operating, managing or controlling a home contracting business in the State of New Hampshire for a period of 10 years.

Attorney General Ayotte said, “When unscrupulous contractors or other business people take advantage of consumers, our office will vigorously pursue them.”

If you have been a victim of unfair or deceptive business acts or practices, Attorney General Ayotte urges you to report your experience to her Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau by calling the Consumer Hotline toll free at 1-888-468-4454, or by visiting the Bureau’s website at http://doj.nh.gov/consumer and filling out and returning a consumer complaint form.