Tree-trimming fraudster receives 8-year sentence, order to pay restitution to older victims

March 19, 2024 (DENVER)—A Jefferson County District Court judge on Monday sentenced Joseph Tyler to eight years in state prison and ordered him to pay $23,000 in restitution to older Coloradans that he defrauded in a tree-trimming scam from February 2020 until October 2022.

Tyler’s sentence comes after he pleaded guilty to theft targeting at risk victims, a class three felony, and to theft, a class five felony. He and his wife, Amelia Marie Tyler, were indicted by the statewide grand jury in February 2023 on 51 counts for using deceptive tactics to commit financial fraud on vulnerable older Coloradans, including many who were over 80 years old, in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, El Paso, Jefferson, and Otero counties.

Amelia Tyler cooperated with prosecutors and was sentenced in January after she pleaded guilty to felony theft. She served a year in the Jefferson County jail and is currently on probation at an intensive residential program for three years.

“The defendants defrauded dozens of older Coloradans when they promised tree-trimming or home repair services and then ran off with their money. These fraudsters are now being held accountable for their crimes. Our office remains committed to ensuring that individuals who perpetrate crimes against older Coloradans are held fully responsible for their actions,” Attorney General Phil Weiser said.

According to the grand jury indictment, the husband-wife team would show up at a residence to solicit tree-trimming or home-repair services for a set amount of money. Sometimes the homeowner paid in cash, but more often, they paid by check. The wife would then cash the check at the homeowner’s bank while the husband cut a few branches at the victim’s home. After cashing the check, the wife would return to pick up the husband before he completed most of the job. The defendants would then tell the homeowner that they needed to get something and would be back, but they rarely returned to the jobsite. At least 50 individuals were victims of the tree-trimming scam.

The case numbers are Joseph Camillo Tyler, 2023CR327 and Amelia Marie Tyler, 2023CR328.

Older Coloradans are frequently targeted by scammers with schemes that can cause financial harm, including the loss of one’s retirement savings and potentially even their home. AARP ElderWatch Colorado is a program with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and AARP whose mission is to fight the financial exploitation of older Coloradans through education and outreach, data collection, and the providing of assistance. Please visit the AARP Elderwatch website for additional information on how to recognize, refuse and report fraud and scams. Report fraud or scams by calling 1-800-222-4444 or filing a complaint at www.StopFraudColorado.gov.

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