Schenectady Man Arrested in $11K Fence Fraud Scheme

Christopher P. Quinn allegedly took payment for work he never completed in Rensselaer, NY

Apr. 8, 2026 at 6:10pm

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An extreme close-up photograph of a crumpled, weathered receipt or invoice, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash against a pitch-black background, conceptually representing the gritty details of a contractor fraud investigation.A recent wave of contractor fraud cases in the Capital Region exposes the need for homeowners to thoroughly vet service providers before making large payments.Rensselaer Today

A 48-year-old Schenectady man named Christopher P. Quinn has been arrested by New York State Police for allegedly defrauding a homeowner in Rensselaer, NY out of $11,000 by agreeing to complete fence work, taking the payment, and then failing to do the job. Authorities say Quinn may have used the alias 'Christopher Johnson' during the incident and that he has a history of similar contractor fraud cases in the region.

Why it matters

Contractor fraud and home improvement scams targeting homeowners are an ongoing issue, especially in the construction-heavy Capital Region. This case highlights the need for consumers to thoroughly vet contractors and avoid making large upfront payments, as well as the challenges law enforcement faces in cracking down on repeat offenders.

The details

According to state police, Quinn agreed in February 2024 to complete fence work for a homeowner in Rensselaer and received an $11,000 payment, but then failed to do the job. Authorities conducted an investigation and issued a warrant for Quinn's arrest on April 4. During the fraudulent fence deal, he allegedly told the customer his name was 'Christopher Johnson.' Police say Quinn may have used this alias because a man with the same name and age was arrested in 2017 for a similar contractor fraud scheme in the area, where he did business as 'Veritas Structural Concrete' but left projects unfinished and caused property damage.

  • Quinn was arrested on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
  • The warrant for Quinn's arrest was issued on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
  • Quinn allegedly took the $11,000 payment and failed to complete the fence work in Rensselaer in February 2024.

The players

Christopher P. Quinn

A 48-year-old man from Schenectady, NY who was arrested for allegedly defrauding a homeowner in Rensselaer out of $11,000 by taking payment for fence work he never completed. Police say he may have used the alias 'Christopher Johnson' during the incident.

New York State Police

The law enforcement agency that conducted the investigation into Quinn's alleged fraud and issued the warrant for his arrest.

Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office

The local law enforcement agency that is also investigating similar incidents involving Quinn in the region and rearrested him on a different outstanding warrant after his initial arrest.

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What’s next

The Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office is continuing to investigate other potential incidents involving Quinn in the region.

The takeaway

This case highlights the need for homeowners to thoroughly vet contractors, avoid making large upfront payments, and be wary of individuals who may be using aliases or have a history of similar fraudulent behavior in order to protect themselves from falling victim to contractor scams.