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Man receives suspended sentence after construction fraud investigation

DANVILLE, Ind. (WISH) — An Indianapolis man has received a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to perjury following a state police investigation involving fraudulent construction loans.

Gary Ogle, who was 69 when charged in June 2016, also had 86 charges — including corrupt business influence, forgery, theft and perjury — dismissed as part of the plea agreement in his Hendricks County criminal case, one of four he faces. He was sentenced to 1,095 days in Community Corrections and given two days credit of jail time, and the remaining 1,093 days were suspended.

Indiana State Police conducted a nearly three-year investigation into Ogle and Robert Fersch, who was 68 in June 2016, that led to their arrest on charges of several felonies in four counties. Investigators initially said the two men were responsible for taking over $1.2 million from customers and subcontractors prior to 2013.

Ogle and Ferch were co-owners of BiltRite Homes LLC in Whitestown, Indiana, and over several years conducted fraudulent business deals including theft, corrupt business influence, perjury and forgery, state police said in 2016. In 2013, after the company filed bankruptcy, the state police began looking into complaints about BiltRite Homes. Most complaints included taking money from customers to pay off debts of previously built homes. Eventually the two men were no longer able to pay their debts resulting in several property liens being placed on completed homes. In some cases, police said, BiltRite Homes would take down payments or a first draw on victims’ construction loans, and not take any action toward building a home for them.

State police said they spoke with numerous victims, contractors, suppliers and former employees. The investigation led to charges being filed in four counties.

In Marion County, Ogle faces six counts of forgery, six counts of perjury, three counts of theft and a count of corrupt business influence in relation to actions during new-home builds for victims of the Richmond Hill explosion, which occurred Nov. 10, 2012. A change-of-plea hearing is set for 10 a.m. on Oct. 13.

In Boone County, Ogle faces 48 counts of forgery, 41 counts of perjury, 12 counts of theft and two counts of corrupt business influence. A plea agreement has been filed in that case, and a sentencing hearing is scheduled in Lebanon for 8 a.m. Oct. 3. Details of the pending plea agreement were not yet included in online court filings.

In Hamilton County, Ogle faces one count of theft. A change-of-plea hearing is set in Noblesville for 9 a.m. Oct. 9.

Fersch also faces criminal charges in three counties.

In Hendricks County, Fersch faces 12 counts of theft and a count of corrupt business influence. A pretrial conference is set for 9 a.m. Sept. 28 and a jury trial is set for 9 a.m. Oct. 17 in Danville.

In Boone County, Fersch faces eight counts of theft and a count of corrupt business influence. A plea agreement has been filed in that case, and a sentencing hearing is set for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 5 in Lebanon. Details of the pending plea agreement were not yet included in online court filings.

In Hamilton County, Fersch faces a count of theft. A pretrial conference is set for 11 a.m. Oct. 23, and a jury trial is set for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 2.

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