Thank you!
Your support is sustaining the future of local news in our communities.

Contractor fraud case moves to Litchfield court, dismissed 2 months later

See below for an update.


 

SHARON — A civil suit turned into a criminal case earlier this month when contractor Pierce Kearney was charged with first-degree larceny.

Kearney was scheduled to appear in Bantam Superior Court March 26, but the case was transferred to Litchfield Superior Court because it is now considered a major felony, according to a clerk at the courthouse.

Kearney is now scheduled to make a first appearance and enter a plea on April 10.

The contractor allegedly billed Steven Wolfe for close to $12,000 in labor that was never performed at his South Main Street home in Sharon. Details of the hearing were not available at press time.

Kearney, 43, of Sharon, turned himself in at Troop B on a warrant March 13. He was processed and released on a $15,000 bond.

The criminal charges were spawned by a lawsuit that followed Kearney’s October 2003 firing. Kearney had been hired by Wolfe and his wife two years earlier to be the general contractor for renovations to their weekend home. They claimed shoddy workmanship. The renovations were never completed.

During the civil suit, Wolfe also told investigators Kearney had stolen several thousands of dollars worth of building supplies from the job site, according to court documents.

Massachusetts resident Paul Graney was also named in the suit. Graney worked for Kearney at the Wolfe home. Court papers point to evidence Graney was out of the state during at least one period when Kearney’s billings claimed he was on the Sharon job.

Kearney has not been charged in connection with the alleged stolen supplies.


 

 

Contractor fraud case dismissed

By CYNTHIA HOCHSWENDER

SHARON — The case against contractor Pierce Kearney, 43, who had been charged with first-degree larceny earlier this year, was dismissed at Litchfield Superior Court on May 22.

Steven Wolfe had claimed Kearney charged him close to $12,000 for labor that was never performed at his South Main Street home in Sharon. 

Massachusetts resident Paul Graney was also named in the suit. Graney worked for Kearney at the Wolfe home. Court papers allegedly pointed to evidence Graney was out of the state during at least one period when Kearney’s billings claimed he was on the Sharon job.

Kearney was not charged in connection with the allegedly stolen supplies.
In court this week, David Shepack, who is the state’s attorney for the Litchfield Judicial District, said that there had been errors in the warrant that led to the charges against the contractor.

“Shortly after the warrant [for his arrest] was issued and the prosecution commenced, it came to the attention of the state that there were, in fact, several errors and incorrect assertions in the warrant, specifically... in reference to a deposition purportedly given by a Mr. Graney. That was not correct. In fact, there is no deposition from Mr. Graney.

“The officer who drafted the warrant later explained that he erred and in his mind he was referring to an affidavit from a Mr. O’Brien.”

The case was reinvestigated, Shepack said. 

“Based on that reinvestigation, I have concluded that there is insufficient evidence for which to proceed on those allegations.”

This story was printed in the May 24, 2007, Lakeville Journal

Latest News

Let's Hear It - September 17, 2026

Let's Hear It - September 17, 2026

This Week

As summer comes to an end and the days begin to get a little cooler, signs of fall are starting to appear all around us. The leaves are beginning to change, the evenings are getting shorter, and a new season of activities and traditions is just around the corner.

Keep ReadingShow less

$5,000

$5,000

Letters to the Editor - September 17, 2026

Letters to the Editor - September 17, 2026

Put $1M to work for housing affordability

If I had $1 million to improve housing affordability in Litchfield County, I would create a revolving Housing Opportunity Fund. Instead of spending the entire amount on one or two homes, I would use it to help local housing trusts acquire land or properties, provide down-payment assistance for qualified buyers, convert appropriate existing buildings into housing, and help cover some of the upfront costs that can prevent good housing projects from ever getting started.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

Turning Back the Pages - September 17, 2026

125 years ago — September 1901

LIME ROCK — Matthew Patterson recently received a silver medal from the Canadian government as a token of his services during the Fenian raid in ‘71. The medal is suitably inscribed and is considerably heavier than a silver dollar. It depends from a silk tri-color and pin, and altogether makes a very neat souvenir.

Keep ReadingShow less
Voices from our community about the housing we need for a healthy, vibrant future

Jordan Seibert and Riley Bossi

Shelly Dinelle

There’s a reason people say, “It takes a village to raise a child.” To thrive, a child needs a safe, stable place to call home. That’s the bedrock for health, dignity, and the chance to build a bright future. What kind of “village” does it take to create these homes?

Motivated by compassion and a drive to make housing more accessible, it took the Foundation for Norfolk Living years of hard work to create ten affordable homes at Haystack Woods. The “village” turned out to be a patchwork of support that included financial help from the DOH, a construction mortgage through Northwest Community Bank, and a Community Development Block Grant to purchase the property and pay for the road and infrastructure. The result? Two- and three-bedroom homes reserved for first-time homebuyers earning 60-80% of Litchfield County’s median income, and selling for $159,000 to $261,000. The condominium homes are deed-restricted and net-zero thanks to energy-efficient construction, solar panels, and battery storage, meaning the homebuyers will have no energy costs! Curious? Just Google “Haystack Woods” to learn more. It’s a remarkable accomplishment.

Keep ReadingShow less
Selectmen back $113,000 request for new ambulance

FALLS VILLAGE — The Board of Selectmen approved a request from the Fire Commission for $113,000 toward a new ambulance scheduled for delivery in November.

The selectmen acted during their regular monthly meeting Monday, Sept. 14.

Keep ReadingShow less
google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.

google preferred source

Want more of our stories on Google? Click here to make us a Preferred Source.