Editorial Standards ⓘ
Terri Parker
Investigative Reporter
A Palm Beach County judge refused to release Sean Gestrich on bond, and prosecutors in Broward County have now upgraded his case from a misdemeanor to organized fraud, a first-degree felony
The criminal case against unlicensed contractor Sean Gestrich just got more serious.
A Palm Beach County judge ruled this week that Gestrich must remain in jail while prosecutors pursue claims he violated probation. At the same time, Broward County authorities upgraded one of his charges from misdemeanor unlicensed contracting to organized fraud — a first-degree felony that carries the potential for decades in prison if convicted.
Gestrich was sentenced in February to three years’ probation after pleading guilty to grand theft and being ordered to pay restitution. Prosecutors say just days later, he defrauded a Broward County couple by collecting more than $120,000 for cabinets and construction work he never delivered.
Defense attorney Bill DiRenzo argued the state got the timeline wrong, saying the alleged misrepresentation happened on Feb. 2 — four days before Gestrich’s Feb. 6 sentencing in Palm Beach County. DiRenzo said while Gestrich returned to the home after sentencing to do “handyman” work, he never told the victims again that he was licensed.
“Sean denies making that statement after sentencing,” DiRenzo said.
Judge Scott Suskauer rejected the defense request for bond, saying the dispute should be resolved at trial. Prosecutors later amended their affidavit to extend the alleged violations into March and said they are confident they can prove Gestrich broke probation.
Between the upgraded fraud charge in Broward and the probation violation case in Palm Beach, Gestrich now faces the possibility of a lengthy prison term if found guilty. A plea conference in the Palm Beach County case is expected in the coming weeks.