PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. (EYT) – A Clearfield County man is facing felony theft and fraud charges after allegedly accepting thousands of dollars for home improvement jobs in Punxsutawney and never completing the work.
Court documents indicate that Punxsutawney Borough Police filed the following criminal charges against 50-year-old Arlo J. Barner, of Clearfield, on September 11, 2025, in Magisterial District Judge Jacqueline J. Mizerock’s office:
- Theft by Deception — False Impression, Felony 3
- False Statement to Induce Agreement for Home Improvement Services, Felony 3
- Receiving Advance Payment for Services and Failing to Perform, Felony 3
- Theft by Unlawful Taking — Movable Property, Felony 3
- Receiving Stolen Property, Felony 3
According to the criminal complaint, Detective Ryan Miller, of the Punxsutawney Borough Police Department, received a walk-in complaint on September 10, 2025, from a man who said Arlo Barner had taken over $5,000.00 from him for work that was never completed.
The man reportedly told police that in July 2024 he met Barner, who promoted his business “JNK Painters,” and agreed to pay him $5,275.00 up front for work on a rental property and a garage in Punxsutawney, as well as on his primary home on Sutton Street.
Police say the man explained Barner had only completed small portions of the job before stopping altogether by September 2024.
The complaint states that the man kept a record of around twenty-two pages of text messages with Barner, in which Barner gave multiple excuses for delays, including illness and emergency jobs. Barner allegedly agreed to issue a refund, but the man never received it, the complaint notes.
Detective Miller said the victim provided a large amount of documentation, including photos of checks, written estimates, and screenshots of texts in which Barner acknowledged the incomplete work and promised a refund, according to the complaint.
At one point, the victim reportedly began receiving messages from someone claiming to be Barner’s brother, promising repayment. However, police said the victim later found out Barner does not have a brother and believes Barner impersonated someone else in a continued attempt to mislead him, the complaint indicates.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for October 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., in front of Judge Mizerock.
