Man claims to be technician, steals more than $22,000 from victims

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) – A 46-year-old man is going to prison after pleading guilty in six fraud cases.

In 2015, William Douglas Duboise charged four different people a total of $22,235 in advance for heating and air conditioning work on various properties the victims owned. Duboise claimed he worked for a particular company and was certified as a particular type of technician, but neither claims were true. He also did not do the work he agreed to do.

Duboise also passed five bad checks to two businesses in 2014 and 2015.

On Wednesday he pleaded guilty to four counts of Obtaining Property by False Pretense, five counts of Felony Worthless Check and one count of Misdemeanor Worthless Check.

Judge Josh Willey sentenced him to four consecutive 8 to 19 month sentences. He also ordered restitution in these cases be made a civil judgement.

Duboise has prior financial crime convictions in New Hanover County in 2012, 2010, and 2017 and a property crime conviction in Brunswick County in 2007.