South Shore man sent to prison for pandemic swimming pool scam

A Plymouth man was sentenced last month for using his swimming pool business to scam homeowners.

Steven Docchio, 59, pleaded guilty to four counts of larceny over $1,200, according to the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office.

On Nov. 18, he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in state prison with nine months to be served and the balance suspended for a total of 10 years probation, the DA’s office said.

Docchio was also ordered to pay his victims restitution and is prohibited from any construction or landscaping work while on probation.

During the pandemic, Docchio gave homeowners unrealistic timelines for swimming pool installations and falsely claimed he had special access to building departments and material vendors, officials said.

Docchio ultimately collected more than $500,000 from homeowners for home improvement projects that he never completed, according to the DA’s office.

“This so-called contractor made promises to homeowners that he never delivered upon,” Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said in a statement. “Through his schemes and scams, Docchio victimized these people and stole from them — first their trust, and then their money. I am hopeful that with this defendant now going to jail and ordered to pay restitution, it will bring some form of closure to his victims.”