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Mount Prospect man faces new fraud charges

A Mount Prospect man currently on bond on charges he bilked a 93-year-old woman out of $1,200 has been charged with another home repair fraud involving a senior.

Palatine police arrested Rocky Reed, of the 500 block of Ida Court, Thursday after they say he took $480 from an 80-year-old Palatine man for unnecessary repairs to his chimney. In the previous case, Reed is charged with taking money for home repairs he never performed,

Cook County Judge Jill Cerone Marisie ordered Reed held on bond totaling $350,000: $50,000 for the new charge of home repair fraud, and $300,000 for violating his previous bond.

Reed, 24, and two other men approached the 80-year-old man as he unloaded groceries at his home, said Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Lesley Gool.

The trio pulled up in a white truck with black lettering that read M & M. Reed told the man his chimney cap had fallen off and that he and his colleagues could repair the damage for $500, Gool said.

Reed and one of the men went onto the roof and performed superficial work — which included applying a coat of tar and black spray paint — then “merely placed” the cap atop the chimney, Gool said. Reed and the others then followed the victim to an ATM where he withdrew money to pay them, Gool said.

The next day, the homeowner noticed the cap had fallen off and called his son who called Palatine police. Detectives contacted the Illinois State Police who provided names of possible offenders, Gool said. The victim identified Reed as the man who approached him, Gool said, adding that a licensed contractor determined that the work was superficial and unnecessary.

Reed next appears in court on March 22. If convicted he could face up to three years in prison. Probation is also available.

In a related case, prosecutors dismissed 2011 residential burglary charges against Reed as well as Michael Miller, 42; Corky Miller, 41; Lawrence Miller, 19; and Alan Ely, 24; after a judge granted defense attorneys’ motion to quash their arrests. Fleeing and eluding charges are still pending against Corky Miller, who next appears in court on March 12.

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