An Elmwood Township man is now facing a maximum penalty of up to 15 years in prison if found guilty of defrauding the owners of a Suttons Bay condominium out of about $95,000.

George D. Newpower Jr., 58, 13766 S. W. Bay Shore Dr., Traverse City was originally charged with giving false sworn statements as a contractor to secure $200 to $1,000, a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum of up to one year in jail. Assistant county Prosecutor Doug Donaldson said after closer examination of Newpower’s criminal past, he dropped the misdemeanor charge and sought a felony charge of making false sworn statements as a contractor over $20,000 and habitual offender, second offense. The maximum penalty for the new charge is up to 10 years in prison. If the habitual offender charge is included, the maximum is up to 15 years.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 14 at 11 a.m.

Donaldson said Newpower agreed to work on a condominium owned by a couple in Suttons Bay in July 2007. He allegedly collected about $95,000 but never completed the work, according to Donaldson. Newpower also allegedly filed false sworn statements with the condo owners and a county title company claiming he had paid bills to at least three area supply stores so he could be reimbursed.

According to court documents, on Aug. 18, 1997, Newpower was convicted in 13th Circuit Court in Antrim County of embezzlement by an agent or trustee over $100. The conviction came after former partners in a real estate business discovered he had taken a total of just over $1 million from their Mancelona-based business and other interests. He was sentenced to serve six to 10 years in prison. He served seven years and nine months before being released in May 2005.

As a result of his conviction in the 1997 embezzlement case, Newpower was ordered to pay $1,010,856 in restitution, fine and costs. As of Monday, court records show he owes over $1 million on that amount.