Cocky contractor cries in court

(WJBK) - "I don't want to affect anyone anymore," said James Ciarmataro. "I just want to work, that's it. I just want to work and pay and that's what I've done."

Grab a tissue because James Ciarmataro got real sad on Thursday. James is sad because it's dawning on him that he is going to jail.

"I am working so hard," he said in court.

"Sir I don't understand why you didn't do that initially," said Judge Martha Anderson. "I mean your criminal record is replete with taking other people's money."

In January, I put James in the Hall of Shame.  He ran a company called Maddox Construction. James told everyone he was a licensed builder including my undercover camera person.

But James Ciarmataro didn't have a license. He just took his customers' money and either did a bad job or took the money and didn't do any job. 

James liked to post lots of selfies of himself and even though he was the one accused of stealing - he told me he was the victim.

"I'm a victim of identity fraud," he said in January.

WOLCHEK: "You're not the victim here, you're the defendant."

Since my story, he's been convicted of 10 misdemeanors and four felonies in three different counties. And he's kept me busy following him from court to court to court.

Thursday he was in front of Judge Anderson for sentencing after pleading no contest to three felony charges of identity theft in Oakland County.

"The people are concerned because there's clearly a pattern here of deceit and deception," said Sydney Turner, assistant prosecutor.

In this particular case, James Ciarmataro was working on a construction job at a family owned business. Ciarmataro went into the office, stole the banking information for the business and racked up tens of thousands of dollars in the owner's name.

The business, which had been in this family for generations almost went under because of Ciarmataro - whom they only knew as a guy they'd hired to fix up their building.

"Until they realized what was happening there were checks that were bouncing," said Turner. "This was a company that had a good name. "

And remember, this is just one of many cases.

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"I was dismayed at the number of charges and convictions at this point for theft of other people's money," said Judge Anderson.

"Judge I made a horrible mistake, horrible,” Ciarmataro said. "And for the rest of my life I will deal with that, even with this on my record. I will, for always. The embarrassment I've gone through with being on the news. I will forever always be known for that."

Yes, you will James.

Judge Anderson sentenced Ciarmataro to 90 days in the Oakland County Jail and ordered him to pay back more than $15,000 in restitution. 

At least he's got another photo for his collection - a mugshot.