WARREN — State Attorney General Dave Yost is suing a Mahoning Valley contractor whom he alleges failed to complete home upgrades after accepting large down payments from customers.

In a lawsuit filed in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday, Yost accuses Youngstown resident Stanley Strickland Jr. and his business, SNT Roofing and Landscaping LLC, which is based in Warren, of violating the Consumer Sales Practices Act and Home Solicitation Sales Act, according to a news release from Yost’s office.

The release states that the defendants solicited business from customers and collected down payments, but performed shoddy work or failed to complete the work, according to four consumer complaints filed with Yost’s Consumer Protection Section.

“In some instances, after securing initial contracts and payments, Strickland allegedly persuaded customers to sign additional agreements and pay more money for other projects he never completed,” the release states.

The lawsuit names several ways Strickland’s company violated the CSPA, not only alleging shoddy and substandard work, but also noting that the company committed “unfair or deceptive acts or practices” by accepting the payments and beginning the work, but then abandoning the worksites and failing or refusing to complete performance of the contracted home improvement goods or services.

The lawsuit alleges Strickland’s company failed to deliver promised services by allowing eight weeks to elapse without delivering the services, making a full refund or telling them of any extended delay, or “offering to send a refund within two weeks if so requested, or furnishing similar goods or services of equal or greater value as a good faith substitute.”

The Attorney General’s Office is seeking restitution for affected consumers, as well as civil penalties and injunctive relief.

Yost encourages other affected consumers to file complaints with his office.

“This contractor pocketed down payments only to abandon the projects,” Yost said. “Now, we’re stepping in to protect consumers and hold him accountable.”

The release states Strickland pleaded guilty to theft charges involving similar allegations in February, in a case prosecuted by the Trumbull County Prosecutor’s Office.

Yost reminds Ohioans in the release to follow several steps before signing a home improvement contract, such as:

• Checking with local officials to see whether permits are required for the project.

• Ask the contractor for references — and follow up with those references.

• Check whether any complaints have been filed against the contractor with the Better Business Bureau and/or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office.

• Get written estimates from at least three contractors.

• Verify your cancellation rights under Ohio law.

• Ensure that the contract details a description of the work to be completed, any warranties or guarantees and any verbal promises made by the contractor.

• Avoid any contract requiring a large down payment or requiring full payment before the project is completed and inspected.