BROCKTON, Mass. — A roofing contractor has been sentenced to serve up to three years in prison for scamming over three dozen homeowners out of more than $250,000.

Matthew Will, 38, pleaded guilty on Jan. 2 to larceny of property over $1,200 by single scheme, state building code violation and money laundering. He also pleaded guilty to seven counts of home improvement contracting violations and three counts of forgery and uttering.

The Brockton Superior Court sentenced him to two to three years in prison followed by three years of probation. Will must also have no contact with the victims of the case, surrender his contractor’s license, submit to a substance abuse evaluation, remove his business from the internet and cooperate with victims seeking restitution through the state fund.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation that began in July 2018 when 15 people contacted the Middlesboro police to say that Will scammed them out of anywhere between $800 to $1,200. In a similar incident, the Hanson Police Department received a complaint in July 2018 from a couple who said they hired Will to replace damaged shingles on their home. In November 2018, the Wareham Police Department learned of a customer who paid the contractor for roof repairs in East Bridgewater, but no work was completed.

Prosecutors said the contractor defrauded 39 people ages 50 to 94 by securing contracts after nor’easter storms in March 2018. Will accepted payments to repair damaged roofs, but never returned to do the work.

“Mr. Will promised necessary home improvements to these victims, many of whom were elderly, and even went to so far as to use conditions of a nor’easter storm to his advantage,” said District Attorney Tim Cruz in a statement. “Through his schemes and scams he victimized these people and stole from them — first their trust, and then their money. I am hopeful that Mr. Will will spend some time in state prison thinking about his manipulative actions toward this vulnerable group of victims.”

Prosecutors said Will defrauded homeowners in Falmouth, Wareham, Middleboro, Duxbury, Plympton, Easton, Hanson and Pembroke. He operated under 5-Star Discount Roofing as well as Matthew Ryan Roofing.

Similar scam artists were caught and sentenced throughout 2019, including cases in Texas, Kentucky and Colorado.