An Avon man who scammed customers out of nearly $3 million will serve up to four years in prison.
On Monday, Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Carl Mazzone sentenced Jeffrey Crawford, 52, of St. Maron Boulevard, to an indefinite prison sentence of four to five years.
Crawford pleaded guilty last month to felony charges including engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, aggravated theft, securing records via deception, tampering with records, money laundering, and writing bad checks.
Mazzone ordered more than $2.35 million in restitution for six victims. He agreed to consider releasing Crawford after 2½ years. Crawford said in court, “I am so sorry; I’m sick of it, and at this point, I want to make things right.” She promised to repay them.
According to Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley, Crawford and Cleveland Custom Homes, originally located on Detroit Road in Avon, defrauded six victims out of approximately $3 million beginning in 2021. The Amherst and Westlake police departments, as well as the US Secret Service, conducted an investigation.
Crawford promised to build three homes in Lorain and Cuyahoga counties for $1.3 million, $650,000, and $600,000, respectively, and then faked loan paperwork to banks, stating work was completed and contractors were paid when neither was the case. According to prosecutors, he spent the victims’ money on other projects or personal costs.
Crawford allegedly persuaded victims from Lorain, Cuyahoga, and Trumbull counties to invest $430,000 in his firm. He pledged to repay them at a profit, but never did.
Crawford declared bankruptcy in 2024, putting many cases filed against him in Lorain and Cuyahoga counties on hold.
In one of those cases, Attorney General Dave Yost sued Cleveland Custom Homes in Lorain County Common Pleas Court on charges that the company failed to complete promised work or performed inadequate work that cost consumers $1 million to repair.
The case was assigned to Judge Donna Freeman. A hearing is scheduled for April 28.
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