Where is Garvin now?

Legal troubles for contractors in the BuildTrend ring continue into 2017.

Garvin Arthur Donaghy (and his companies RBS Builders and RBSF) were "project manager" agents of BuildTrend on several projects in Pennsylvania, including after the time when Shawn Gerety (aka Sean Gerety, Shawn Nicola) began to communicate bankruptcy plans for the BuildTrend entity to certain customers. Gerety was simultaneously starting new entities and moving south to Delaware and Maryland as Garvin was approaching customers for incremental payments and change orders. From the perspective of many BuildTrend customers, Garvin Donaghy and Gerety were one in the same.

A paint supplier started legal action against Garvin in Delaware County civil action 2017-002231: Sherwin-Williams Co vs Donaghy. Garvin failed to respond and Sherwin-Williams won a default judgement for $7,100 in April.

Garvin owns real estate in Media, PA and has a history of tax liens and judgments. This blog has previously covered Garvin's associations with BuildTrend (see 2015-Sept RBSF & JD Kelly).

RBSF Construction Company retains an active home improvement contractor registration in PA #114667 with an address of 3 East Spring Oak Circle, Media PA 19063.  The registration for one of Garvin's other companies RBS Builders (HIC #088891) expired and was not renewed.

Judge rules in favor of this blog

Vincent Cottrell initiated legal action against this blog in Delaware County case 2015-010034 alleging slander/libel/defamation. Court filings show Cottrell attempting to enforce a subpoena of Google while John Doe (contributors to this blog) filed a motion to quash and seek a protective order. On May 30, the Honorable G. Michael Green heard oral arguments from attorneys from each side. In a ruling file stamped on June 1, the judge ruled in favor of the blog with an Order to Quash the Subpoena and to Issue Protective Order.

Dispute between Cottrell and his own attorney also appears in the public records of this case. Court records show Cottrell's attorney Joseph J. Dougherty, Esq first resigned as counsel to Cottrell in February 2017 telling the court that Cottrell had outstanding balances for legal bills.  The judge granted the attorney's petition to withdraw as counsel on March 27.  But by March 31, Dougherty is filing with the same court that he is back as Cottrell's counsel, presumably after getting paid in the interim. Somehow Cottrell finds the money to pay his attorney, but can't collect funds to pay full restitution to his theft victims by the first sentencing date in his criminal theft case.

Also of note, the hearing on motions relating to this blog was not the only reason for Cottrell to be in the Media courthouse on May 30, 2017.  In the very same courthouse on the very same day, Cottrell was finally sentenced for criminal theft (Case CP-23-CR-0001749-2016) in a negotiated guilty plea with the Delaware County DA. This is Cottrell's latest conviction in a long record of theft and deceptive business practices crimes in Montgomery, Philadelphia and Delaware Counties in Pennsylvania and independent theft and theft by deception crimes in New Jersey.  Vincent Cottrell also uses the names Vincent Edward, Vincent Edward C and Vincent Edward Cottrell III.

Cottrell Sentenced in Delco Criminal Theft

Cottrell's Pennsylvania criminal record and docket sheet for CP-23-CR-0001749-2016 have been updated for his sentencing on May 30.  These public records show that Vincent Cottrell negotiated a guilty plea to misdemeanor criminal theft and was sentenced to Intermediate Punishment Program (IPP) for up to 24 months and Probation for up to 3 years. Cottrell's IPP requires that he wear an electronic monitor (ankle bracelet) and remain confined to his home for 6 months and perform 80 hours of community service. We hear from multiple sources that his Probation/Parole also requires that he pay fees to the County to monitor his activity and prohibits visitors except as approved.

The reason for continuance of his sentencing from May 15 to May 30 was Cottrell telling the judge he would need more time to assemble the balance of the funds to return to the victims.  The docket sheet reflects that Cottrell ultimately did pay full restitution to the victims of his thefts, without disclosing the amount.

Congratulations to Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan and his office for securing a conviction and bringing Cottrell to justice in one incident of construction contracting scams in your district and for a process which resulted in monetary recovery for one family.

Please send any additional information to supplement or correct any errors in this post to: buildtrendscam@gmail.com.  This blog will always default to protecting anonymity unless a contributor requests attribution.

Cottrell's DelCo criminal sentencing May 30

According to criminal docket CP-23-CR-0001749-2016, Vincent Cottrell is scheduled for sentencing by a Delaware County judge on May 30 (continued from May 15).  Public records show that Cottrell finally pleaded guilty to criminal theft on April 10, 2017 following a series of continuances and delays since Delaware County District Attorney Jack Whelan initially charged him in January 2016 for crimes related to home renovation contracting work.

Vincent Cottrell (aka Vincent Edward C.)

But this sentencing doesn't look like the end of legal troubles for Cottrell and his crew.

Cottrell + Kelly

Cottrell and contractor John Kelly (aka "Butch" and JD Kelly Corp.) are also defendants in a separate DelCo civil action where a Havertown, PA homeowner alleges fraud, negligence and unfair trade practices on a different home renovation construction job that went wrong.

From the filings in that case, matters between the two contractors Kelly and Cottrell appear to be getting more contentious. Read full proceedings including the initial complaint and a flurry of responses and motions:

Delaware County Case 2016-006677

Cottrell + Gerety
Another of Cottrell's conspirators in home renovation contracting has been Shawn Gerety (aka Sean Gerety, Shawn T. Gerety). Gerety and Cottrell were business partners in BuildTrend until Gerety bankrupted that company and started multiple new entities, including Trend Investment Group, TIG Construction Inc, Bay Breeze Exteriors. Cottrell meanwhile started Trend Consulting Group and possibly other entities. Gerety is currently a criminal defendant in the State of Delaware on multiple incidents of theft and fraud related to home renovations and simultaneously defendant in Pennsylvania in a civil suit by the Attorney General of Pennsylvania which aggregates the complaints of nine Pennsylvania homeowner victims, many of whom had also met Cottrell when he was VP of Gerety's BuildTrend company.
Complaint: Attorney General v Gerety/BuildTrend (Case. No 692 MD 2016) - Complaint
Docket sheet: Commonwealth Court Case 692 MD 2016

Note: the relationship between Cottrell, Gerety and BuildTrend is documented in the public domain by contracts and documents made public by Cottrell in his 2015 Delaware County civil lawsuit Cottrell v Gerety.  See this blog's June 2015 entry for the link.

Latest chapters in Cottrell's long criminal record 

A 2017 criminal conviction would add to quite a lengthy criminal record for Cottrell (links to public information below).  He was convicted in New Jersey of 2006 crimes and incarcerated in 2010-2011 in New Jersey and also separately convicted in 2011 in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania on theft and theft by deception offenses.

Links below show where this information is available in public domain:

2016-Jun Back in Business

2016-Jan Delco DA brings criminal charges
2015-Sep Pennsylvania Criminal Records of BuildTrend VP
2015-Aug Vincent Executive Contractor
2015-Jun Vince Cottrell - BuildTREND Vice President
2015-Jun Criminal Theft by Deception
2015-Jun Lawsuit reveals BuildTREND's debts & contracts with Cottrell

Where is Cottrell now?
Still in the construction contracting business with new entities and new business partners:
Trend Consulting Group

He appears to go by Vincent Edward C. on social media and may also be using other names, aliases and identities.  He is active on social media including @VincentC30 and @TrendGroup30 on Twitter and @VincentEdwardC30 on Instagram.

Cottrell pleads guilty to theft from homeowner clients in Delco

Vincent Cottrell pleaded guilty to criminal theft in Delaware County on April 10 according to criminal docket CP-23-CR-0001749-2016. The public records show that this plea follows a series of continuances and delays since the Delaware County District Attorney initially charged him in January 2016 and adds to a long criminal record of New Jersey and Pennsylvania convictions on similar offences (see links to public records below).

According to the docket sheet, sentencing is scheduled for May 15.

Cottrell is also known as Vincent Edward Cottrell III, Vincent Edward C., Thomas Cottrell and Thomas Dadino. He is active on social media including @VincentC30 and @TrendGroup30 on Twitter and @VincentEdwardC30 on Instagram.  He and may also be operating under many other names and identities.

Here are prior posts on this blog about Vince (with links to public information):
2016-Jun Back in Business
2016-Jan Delco DA brings criminal charges
2015-Sep Pennsylvania Criminal Records of BuildTrend VP
2015-Aug Vincent Executive Contractor
2015-Jun Vince Cottrell - BuildTREND Vice President
2015-Jun Criminal Theft by Deception
2015-Jun Lawsuit reveals BuildTREND's debts & contracts with Cottrell

Gerety update from E.Thomas

This letter was submitted to the blog by E.Thomas.  This blog will default to anonymity unless one who submits information asks for attribution. 

Good day,

This letter is in regard to Sean (Shawn) Gerety, who was arrested in Ocean City, MD on December 1, 2016 and then extradited to DE.

Sean has made numerous statements that once he gets his passport back from the State of DE, he will be forever leaving the US, never to return.

Sean has numerous outstanding debts.

We believe that he owes his landlord approximately $12,000, when he resided at 7001 Atlantic Avenue, Ocean City, MD, which is where he was arrested.  It is also believed that he owes his ex-wife in excess of $15,000 in back alimony and child support.

In addition, he owes several subcontractors living in Wicomico County, MD, tens of thousands of dollars.  One of these subcontractors accosted him in a road rage incident, where Sean sought refuge in the Town of Berlin Police Department (I'm sure the local police have a report on this 2016 incident)

He also owes a former construction manager $1500, his former accountant (who quit on him when he learned the specifics of how Sean does business) $1200.  In addition, Sean will owe a sizeable amount of taxes that he will not be reporting to the IRS for the 2016 tax year.  Sean also owes $6600 to a customer by the name of Pablo Foranda, 31299 Terry Circle, Bethany Beach, DE, 19930.  Which is in addition to civil litigation filed against Sean by the State of PA.

Sean is STILL operating BayBreeze Exteriors, he has 100% sole control of the funds, numerous bank accounts, including PayPal accounts.... 

Sean has told many people that he and his attorney would just strike a deal with the State of DE whereby he would negotiate ONE settlement and plead guilty to ONE felony in return for his passport and reduced settlement for which he would pay 50% now and then 50% when his passport is returned to him.

Once Sean is given his passport back, he will immediately flee the US and fly to Romania when his fiancé' awaits.  Sean will never return to the US due to the economic burden the total extent of which will never be known.  Once Sean marries his fiancé', Iulia Nicola, he will then take her last name and become Sean Nicola and live in Romania.  Given the economy of Romania, Sean will never make the money he would need to pay back the settlement owed in the US, nor will he have any intention to do so.  Once Sean is on the airplane, he will never look back again.

Sean has only one goal, get his passport back and flee the US without having to pay another dime.

Sean had always leased several luxury vehicles, all of which have been repossessed when his money gets tight.  He has recently made attempts to purchase a vehicle in the Lancaster PA area and you can be that he will default on the loan payments should he be allowed to leave the US.

After reviewing his bankruptcy filings in Federal Court, he listed approximately $3800 in tangible assets and $1,364,988 in liabilities.  Allegedly his attorney quit after the court learned Sean was hiding assets.

How in the world did he make off with more than $1.3 million in cash, goods and services????  He owns nothing of record in the US ---- look for that money overseas.

Since he ran out on his lease in Ocean City, MD, he has been spending time in Lancaster, PA, specifically he interchanges between the Days Inn and Classic Inn on Route 30 East in Lancaster PA.  He has been paying for these motel stays with proceeds from BayBreeze Exteriors.  There is the possibility that his fiancé' is sending him money too, and we can't help but wonder if she has access to his overseas cash stash.

Again, once he gets that passport back, he will leave the US and never return, nor honor any of the countless obligations he has run up. 

If you really want to make your DE residents who have been scammed by him get their money back before you let Sean go.

Last known phone number for Sean is 443.365.3202