News Channel 9 Story Sept 28, 2005

http://www.newschannel9.com/articles/freeman-2194-county-hamilton.html

Former Cabinet Salesman Pleads Guilty in Hamilton County

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September 28, 2005 5:03 PM

Calvin Sneed

Almost a year ago, we told you about an East Ridge cabinet salesman, who got in trouble for taking money for the cabinets, and never delivering them..

David Freeman has now faced justice in Hamilton County for his crimes..

After we first started doing stories on Freeman a year ago, the floodgates opened up and homeowners from all over the area called to tell me they'd lost money to him..

In Rhea and Sequatchie Counties, Freeman spent time in jail after our stories, and was ordered to pay folks back the money he'd stolen from THEM..

His charges in HAMILTON county, have now been settled, too..

The scene in July of last year, outside a Hamilton County courtroom was one of nervous apprehension..

Assistant District Attorney Bill Boyer, announced to a crowd of angry homeowners, that he's holding three felony charges on former cabinet salesman David Freeman..

The crowd of homeowners had all paid thousands of dollars to David Freeman and his company Kitchen Resources to have cabinets built and installed..

None of the cabinets were ever made..

"He's taken good people in this community for a ride," homeowner Burt Elliott told the group..

Mr. Elliott was one of Freeman's victims.. he'd paid Freeman 26-thousand dollars for cabinets and shelving that was never done..

Vivian Putnam was another victim.. her loss was four-thousand dollars..

"I got cheated out of two kitchens," she says, "because he did nothing for me."

Freeman was eventually charged in Hamilton County with three separate counts of felonious misappropriation of contract funds..

"Mr. Freeman?" asked Hamilton County Criminal Court Judge Rebecca Stern, "in count one of misappropriation of contract payments, how do you plead?"

"Guilty," Freeman replied..

He pleaded guilty to all three counts..

Both Ms. Putnam and Mr. Elliott were in court, as Freeman also admitted to three counts of theft of property over a thousand dollars..

"How do you plead?" again asked Judge Stern..

Again, "guilty" was the reply from Freeman..

"Good trusting people can be taken easily," says Mr. Elliott, "and you just have to have your guard up and always be aware there's always potential that somebody like Freeman's out there trying to take your money."

Freeman was given a 16-year suspended sentence with probation..

He'll get credit for time served, and he's ordered to pay 35-thousand dollars back to his victims..

"The sentence puts the power back in the hands of the victims he stole money from," says Hamilton County Assistant District Attorney Boyd Patterson..

"If he's not paying, he's going to jail."

"I'm just glad that something is being done," says Vivian Putnam, "and Freeman's not out there hurting anybody else still."

Meanwhile, the wheels of justice are turning rather quickly right now..

Freeman is now due in court in Catoosa County, Georgia TOMORROW, to answer to a charge of theft by conversion involving cabinets that were paid for THERE, and never delivered..

We'll be there and let you know what happens..