Man sentenced to prison for Mid-Missouri paving scam

A man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to prison for scamming residents in a multi-county asphalt-paving scam.

Attorney General Chris Koster said Wednesday that Terry Wayne Phelps pleaded guilty to financial exploitation of the elderly, stealing by deceit, and unlawful merchandising practices.

Phelps was sentenced to ten years in prison on seven counts of financial exploitation, ten years for stealing by deceit, and seven years for four counts of unlawful merchandising practices. He will serve the sentences concurrently.

The investigation involved prosecuting attorneys from Boone, Maries and Phelps counties.

Officials said Phelps, along with others, concealed the actual price of asphalt work, failed to complete work that was started, and misrepresented the value of work performed.

The Attorney General’s office said in one instance, Phelps defrauded a man in Vichy into paying $56,000 for substandard paving work.