Butler Woman Charged with Taking More than $14,000 From Warrendale Businessman

A Butler woman has been charged with a felony count of theft by deception for obtaining thousands of dollars from a Warrendale businessman with the promise of paying off two credit cards to start the process of "fixing" his bad credit history, according to court documents.

Melissa Ann Dano, 30, was charged with securing $14,283 from Kurt Slade by promising to pay off his Bank of America credit cards, then keeping the money for her personal use, the criminal complaint states. Slade operates Slade Landscaping at 55 Warrendale-Bayne Road in Warrendale.

Dano waived her right to a preliminary hearing last week before Magisterial District Judge William K. Wagner. The case now moves to the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

The Allegheny County District Attorney's Office started investigating in February after receiving a criminal complaint from Slade, court documents show.

Slade told a detective that he entered into an agreement with 700 Credit, LLC, a company owned by Melissa Dano, to "fix" Slade's bad credit history in April 2010, the criminal complaint states.

He said he did not sign a contract, but made a verbal agreement over the phone, according to court documents.

On May 8, Slade issued a $2,570 check to 700 Credit, LLC for a six-month service fee to repair his credit report, court documents show.

Later that month, Dano told Slade the best way to begin resolving his credit problems was to pay off his two Bank of America credit cards and he issued 700 Credit a check for $14,283 to do that, according to court records.

Soon after, Bank of America starting calling Slade, requesting payments on his past-due accounts, records show. The bank said it never received a payment from 700 Credit, the criminal complaint states.

Bank records show the money was deposited into 700 Credit's account, but no payments were made to Bank of America, according to court records.