New Hampshire Attorney General, Joseph A. Foster announces that Cedric Gatanti, 37, of Laconia, NH, pleaded guilty today in Merrimack County Superior Court to one charge of Theft by Misapplication of Property. Mr. Gatanti's crime occurred between June 1, 2014 and November 1, 2014 when he took a substantial deposit from a customer for the purchase of materials to build a post and beam barn in Dunbarton, NH. Mr. Gatanti recklessly spent that money on unrelated business and personal expenses despite being legally obligated to spend the money on the materials for the barn.

Following a hearing, the court sentenced Mr. Gatanti to serve 12 months in the house of corrections. He was ordered to pay $28,821.79 restitution to the victims and is prohibited from engaging in any business where he takes prepayments for goods or services not yet provided or completed for a period of 10 years.

Consumers with consumer-related complaints or concerns can call the Attorney General's Consumer Information Line at 1-888-468-4454 or file a complaint online at https://doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints/index.htm.