Punta Gorda woman suspected of grand theft

A Punta Gorda woman is suspected of taking money from a customer and her employer and using the funds for personal expenditures.

The suspect, Melissa Boyd, 44, faces two counts of Grand Theft $300 to $5,000.

Boyd, a subcontractor for D&D Custom Cabinets in Punta Gorda, made a false contract with a customer, according to the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office booking report. The customer paid $3,226.70 for a project, but only $2,361 was accounted for.

The customer said that after agreeing to the countertops, Boyd told her that 50 percent needed to be paid up front. The customer paid a $400 money order to Boyd, along with $1.33 to see if the PayPal service worked because she has not used it before. Boyd asked the customer make the payment directly to her.

When the countertops were installed, the customer sent a final $1,500 to Boyd through PayPal, per the report.

Several weeks later, the owner contacted the victim. They said they did not have any knowledge of a contract between the victim and Boyd, and had no proof of payments being made.

After the victim learned the contract made by Boyd was fraudulent, she confronted Boyd at D&D Custom Cabinets in front of the owners. During the confrontation Boyd admitted to taking the money to pay for her home.

Boyd was booked into the Charlotte County Jail.