Plea date adjourned 2nd time for UP contractor charged with defrauding clients

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - UPDATE: The plea hearing for a construction contractor charged with 15 felonies for defrauding clients has been adjourned a second time.

Klint Miller of Sands Township was scheduled to appear in Marquette County Circuit Court Friday for a plea hearing. In court, however, the judge said she was informed by her administrative aid that there were still details left to be finalized in the plea agreement, meaning they would not continue at that time.

A new plea hearing will be scheduled for a later date.

Last published: Jan 12, 2023 2:28:01 PM

A plea date for the construction contractor charged with 15 felonies for failing to complete construction projects has been rescheduled.

Klint Miller of Sands Township was previously scheduled for a plea hearing on Dec. 19. That hearing has been adjourned to Jan. 27 at 10:30 a.m. His case is being handled by the Michigan Attorney General.

Miller is charged with 15 felonies related to charging customers for construction projects and failing to complete them. Those felonies are:

Seven counts of larceny by conversion over $20,000, felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or $15,000 fine
Seven counts of fraudulent use of contractor funds, felonies punishable by up to three years in prison
One count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony with a maximum fine of $100,000

Miller currently has 3 other open cases in circuit court in which he is listed as a defendant: Erik Granger v Nash Creek Construction, for which a motion hearing is scheduled on Jan. 18; MBank v Klint Miller, for which a motion hearing is scheduled on Jan. 30; and Derek Marr v Klint Miller, for which a status conference is scheduled on Feb. 9.

Last published: Oct 11, 2022 5:54:40 PM

The construction contractor charged with 15 felonies for failing to complete construction projects totaling more than $1 million is scheduled for a plea date.

Klint Miller appeared for a pretrial conference in Marquette County Circuit Court on Oct. 10. However, court documents show that he has now been scheduled for a plea date on Dec. 19.

TV6 will continue to follow this story as it develops. For more information, see the previous story below.

Last published Sept. 16, 2022

The construction contractor charged with 15 felonies for failing to complete construction projects totaling more than $1 million is moving toward trial.

Klint Miller is scheduled for a pretrial conference in Marquette County Circuit Court Oct. 10 at 10:30 a.m.

Miller faces seven counts of larceny by conversion over $20,000, seven counts of fraudulent use of contractor funds, and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise— all felonies.

TV6 will continue to follow this story as it develops. For more information, see the previous story below.

Last published: Aug 19, 2021 5:01:17 PM

A residential builder faces more than a dozen felonies for failing to complete construction projects that totaled more than $1 million, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and Marquette County Sheriff Greg Zyburt announced Thursday.

Thursday afternoon in Marquette County’s 96th District Court, 30-year-old Klint Miller, of Sands Township, was arraigned on the following charges:

Seven counts of larceny by conversion over $20,000, felonies punishable by up to 10 years in prison and/or $15,000 fine
Seven counts of fraudulent use of contractor funds, felonies punishable by up to three years in prison
One count of conducting a criminal enterprise, a 20-year felony with a maximum fine of $100,000

Miller will be released on a personal recognizance bond.

In January 2020, the Marquette County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation into Miller’s construction company, U.P. General Contracting. The investigation started as a result of clients receiving an email from Miller indicating he was closing the company. Clients were left with unfinished home construction and remodel projects that had been paid for in advance.

In February 2020, a search warrant was obtained and executed on the company’s office formerly located at 329 W. Washington Street, Suite A1 in Marquette City. Marquette City Police and the Michigan State Police Computer Crimes Unit assisted with that warrant.

To date, nine projects were identified in Marquette County with a total estimated loss of $978,000. Three additional unfinished projects were identified in Alger and Delta Counties, where Miller faces similar charges. The Michigan State Police and Escanaba Public Safety are handling the investigations outside of Marquette County.

Combined, the unfinished projects total $1,258,207.

“Every licensed contractor is bound by law to follow through on work paid for by clients,” AG Nessel said. “My office remains committed to holding accountable anyone who takes advantage of that trust and cheats clients out of hard-earned money. I appreciate the work done by the Marquette County Sheriff’s Department that helped secure these charges against Mr. Miller.”

“When you build or renovate your home, you put your faith, time, and life savings into it,” Sheriff Zyburt said. “To have a contractor abuse that trust is criminal and inflicts pain similar to breaking into someone’s home. We will continue to work with the Attorney General on this case.”

Miller will be back in court Sept. 1 for a probable cause conference. A preliminary exam is set for Sept. 7.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is encouraged to contact Marquette County Sheriff’s Office Detective/Lieutenant Lowell Larson at (906) 225-8470. You may also email him at LLarson@mqtco.org.