Pro-Tec Owner Gets Community Control |TODAY|

Submitted by dan. on 2007-08-29 21:55.
Courts | Victim Support

Facing up to 195 years in prison on 39 felony charges, the owner of Pro-Tec Shutters was sentenced Tuesday to a year of community control and 10 years of probation for taking deposits from customers and not performing contracted work.

One former customer almost convinced Circuit Judge James W. McCann to put Guillette in prison.

Elisa Mencik of Port St. Lucie said she paid Guillette $12,000 for shutters that were supposed to be installed within six weeks, but the work took more than a year.

Worse, Mencik said, she gave Guillette's name to friends who paid him deposits but never had their shutters installed.

"He should pay for what he's done," Mencik said. "I'd like to see him do more than just pay people back. He's ruined a lot of lives."

McCann replied, "I agree completely." Turning to the attorneys at the hearing he asked, "Why are we doing this (plea agreement)?"

To get money paid back to victims, replied Assistant State Attorney Lev Evans.

"Perhaps prison would be more appropriate," Evans said, but because Guillette and many of the victims are elderly, authorities decided to emphasize getting restitution.

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