'Scammer' sentenced to 25 years

A judge finds a man's housing scam so offensive he goes beyond sentencing guidelines.

By GRAHAM BRINK

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 18, 2000

TAMPA -- A man convicted of scamming poor and credit-challenged residents by preying on their dreams of home ownership was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison.

Jerome Ellington, 44, faced a sentence of eight to 15 years, according to state sentencing guidelines.

Circuit Judge J. Rogers Padgett, however, departed from the guidelines after deciding that the offenses created substantial economic hardship for multiple victims, had a high degree of sophistication and that Ellington abused a position of trust or confidence to make the scam work.

"This man is a scammer and he will continue to be a scammer," said prosecutor Craig Clendinen, who had requested a lengthy sentence. "He still to this day shows not one ounce of remorse -- not one ounce."

Last month, a jury took less than an hour to find Ellington guilty of 53 felony counts, including grand theft and racketeering, stemming from a program he set up that bilked victims with little income out of $250,000.

The scam began in 1997, when Ellington told eager home buyers that his company would fix their credit and start construction on a 2,000-square-foot home for them in three to six months at a cost of $1,659.95, plus a monthly fee of $165. Through a formula involving reduced overhead, wholesale materials and a separate mortgage for labor costs, Ellington said, even families making $30,000 a year could afford one of the dream homes.

Low cost wasn't the only appeal. Ellington's Home Ownership Means Empowerment program, or H.O.M.E., was grounded in Christian principles, he said. The program promised satisfaction or a full refund.

Ellington prayed with some of the victims and pledged in company literature to handle them "like a 24-K gold bar." The program promised free lawn maintenance, maid service, haircuts and legal help. About 150 people signed up.

Investigators testified that Ellington spent much of the money on himself, including $2,624 for a sound system for his Mercedes and $8,000 to keep his two-story, waterfront North Lakes home out of foreclosure.

Ellington, 44, claimed that he had every intention of fulfilling his promises and that he never intended to hurt anyone. His lawyer, Danny Fernandez, argued at trial that an office manager who gained control of the program when Ellington developed medical problems was really to blame.

Fernandez told the judge on Monday that his client's "heart was pure" and asked for probation or house arrest, which would allow Ellington to work to pay some restitution to the victims.

Elaine Holloman, one of the victims, said after the sentencing that she was pleased Ellington would not be able to hurt other families. Ellington created a lot of turmoil and pain for too many people, she said.

"There is a God, and he's watching over us," she said. "This is justice."

- Graham Brink can be reached at (813) 226-3365 or brink@sptimes.com

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