09/17/08 Bend
 
An ongoing investigation by Deschutes County Sheriffs includes an extensive search of  a southeast Bend home.  The owner is 37 year old Eric Gabriel Wisehart arrested for aggravated theft for allegedly not finishing work on renewable energy projects which he was paid to do.
Wisehart operated his solar energy companies under several names including New Earth Works, Pacwind, Solect Systems and New Path Renewables
 
"He had multiple we'll call multiple victims in the Bend area and throughout Oregon as well as into Washington and that there was a pattern where he was selling renewable energy products and making agreements to complete projects and those projects weren't being completed," Sgt. Mike Espinoza with the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office.   
 
On the Oregon Better Business Bureau website, New Path Renewables is listed with an unsatisfactory rating.  Looking further on the website KOHD News finds there have been 7 complaints involving contract and delivery issues.  The address on the website leads us to Lower Meadow Drive in northeast Bend where Wisehart used to lease space now occupied by Bend Bronze.
 
"He was in suite B.  He got back due of 6 months owing rent to the owners and they had to evict him," says Roy Swan, owner of Bend Bronze.
 
No one answered Wisehart's phone which was disconnected and a family member at his home said no one there wanted to talk about the allegations.
 
Along with complaints into the Sheriffs office, and the BBB, more complaints are seen on the Oregon State Board Contractors website.  Wisehart currently has 9 disputes. He owes more than $36,000 in unpaid final orders by the State Contractor's Board.
 
Meanwhile, local investigators believe the victim count could grow.    If you think you're a victim, contact the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office at (541) 617-3393.
 
To check on a business,
Better Business Bureau:
http://alaskaoregonwesternwashington.bbb.org/WWWRoot/SitePage.aspx?site=114&id=0927e2ab-0046-4101-9482-3ef0436b177c
Oregon Construction Contractors Board: 
https://ccbed.ccb.state.or.us/ccb_frames/consumer_info/ccb_index.htm
 
09/16/08 Bend
 
 
Deschutes County Sheriff Deputies arrested a Bend business owner after numerous complaints from customers.
 
On September 16, 2008 the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Detectives Division executed a search warrant at the residence of 37 year old Eric Wisehart.  This warrant based on information that Wisehart was involved in multiple counts of aggravated theft. 
 
Prior to the warrant being executed, the Sheriff's Office had received multiple complaints that Wisehart had defrauded various customers throughout Oregon and into Washington as far back as 2001.    
 
During this investigation detectives learned that Wisehart operated several energy renewable companies that he used to defraud potential customers.  These companies were: New Path Renewables, Inc. (NPRI), New Earth Works, Inc., Pacwind, LLC., and Solect Systems, Inc. 
 
Detectives also learned that Wisehart defrauded customers, by selling them solar energy systems and energy renewable systems that were never completed.  Complaints of this activity were received by the Oregon Contractors Board and the Sheriff's Office.  Most of the complaints specify that Wisehart never made good on agreements to complete these systems. 
 
Since the initial investigation began detectives have learned that multiple victims have been defrauded of large sums of money for these systems.  
 
Based on that information, the Sheriff's Office has arrested Wisehart and asks that anyone who believes they may have been a victim of Wisehart or one of his companies to contact them at (541) 617-3393.  This investigation is still pending.
 
To check a business:
Better Business Bureau:
http://alaskaoregonwesternwashington.bbb.org/WWWRoot/SitePage.aspx?site=114&id=0927e2ab-0046-4101-9482-3ef0436b177c
Oregon Construction Contractors Board: 
https://ccbed.ccb.state.or.us/ccb_frames/consumer_info/ccb_index.htm