Three Marion men have been charged with theft and corrupt business influence, accused of taking nearly $2,000 for home repairs they promised to do in the home of an elderly Fort Wayne woman, but never completed.

Larry A. Stone went to the home of an 84-year-old woman in October and showed the woman a leaf from one of her trees that had black spots on it, according to Allen Superior Court documents.

Stone, who was accompanied by three other people, offered to trim the woman’s trees in October in order to get rid of the black spots, court documents state.

Stone, 43, initially charged the woman $250 and she agreed. He cut no more than 10 branches, placed them at the street and told the woman it was going to cost $300, according to court documents.

The woman began writing the check and Stone offered to write it for her, which she allowed. Then Stone told the woman noticed cracks on the plaster walls inside the home, court documents said. Stone told the woman it would cost $925 to do the work and she agreed, allowing Stone to write the check, court documents said.

Stone returned a day later and left several home repair items at the home, telling the woman he would need an additional $780 because the cost of supplies had gone up.

Stone is charged with corrupt business influence, home improvement fraud and three counts of theft. He had not been arrested as of Monday afternoon.

Edward A. Holt, 32, was charged with corrupt business influence and two counts of theft.

Austin R. Windle, 24, was charged with corrupt business influence and theft.

Holt and Windle had not been arrested as of Monday afternoon.

The checks for the plaster repairs were cashed and no one ever returned to complete the work, court documents said.

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