ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – A Jacksonville man accused of taking advantage of homeowners who were trying to protect their property from pests was recently arrested.
Police said two Atlantic Beach residents paid John Bennett to spray their trees for bugs, but instead of applying pesticide police said the fake exterminator used fertilizer.
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The victims told Channel 4 they never suspected Bennett was pretending to be an exterminator. They said he approached them and told them they had a major problem with a bug infestation in their trees.
Roland Henderson said he was outside his home when Bennett offered him a deal.
"He said the city was having him go around and spray the trees because there was some kind of bug or something killing the trees," Henderson said.
He said Bennett told him he was with R&J Tree Service and that he would spray all of the trees for $100.
"It took him about four or five minutes -- about enough time for me to go upstairs and get check and come down and give it to him," Henderson said.
Next, Bennett went next door to Henderson's neighbor, Alan Gasparovic.
"I didn't want to lose any more hard wood trees, so I guess I saw him working on my neighbor's and assumed he was legitimate," Gasparovic said.
Both men said they've had problems with diseased trees in the past, and when Bennett told them they had a problem they just wanted it fixed.
"The guy was good. He knew to say the right things to get my attention," Gasparovic said.
Investigators with the Florida Department of Agriculture said Bennett has been saying the right things to a lot of unsuspecting people. Officials said Bennett admitted he didn't use pesticides on the trees, but fertilizer.
The FDA said both victims' trees were healthy before Bennett came along. It also suggests consumers ask to see a photo ID that is a license to run a pest control business.
Bennett is facing multiple charging, including fraud.