Man accused of scamming The Villages residents arrested

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — Some residents in The Villages said a landscaper who promised to make repairs to homes took their money without doing the job.

Investigators believe Devin Dodd ripped off at least six people and stole more than $10,000.

Residents said Dodd took the money up front and promised to take care of flowers, shrubs and trees, but when it came time to do the work, he was nowhere to be found.

“He was a very good talker and could sit there, and talk and tell you what he was going to do,” said resident Gary Gross.

Gross said he met Dodd through a neighbor.

The landscaper offered to do some work, so Gross gave him $500 for a double palm tree and to make some other improvements in his front yard.

After Dodd got the money, he never returned to do the work.

“His typical comments would be, ‘I’ll be back the day after tomorrow with your trees and I’ll start putting it in,’” Gross said.

Gross said he and others came across one of Dodd’s signs advertising yard work and used it to find Dodd’s home address.

“Me and the other gentlemen drove up to Ocala, and surprised him and told him, ‘Hey, you better do something now,’” Gross said.

Gross talked with other neighbors and learned Dodd did the same thing to at least six others.

“It was slowly becoming a mini-Ponzi scheme. He was taking in deposits still but using the money to placate a customer and move on,” Gross said.

Neighbors eventually called deputies, who later arrested Dodd.

WFTV