A Chadron businessman has been bound over for trial for allegedly cheating the customers of his construction company.

29-year old Shane Hays of Hays Construction will stand trial on 23 counts of felony theft by deception following a preliminary hearing in Dawes County Court.

Hays...who was arrested January 21st...will remain free on bond while awaiting trial. He's scheduled for arraignment in District Court next Tuesday.

Box Butte County Attorney K-J Hutchinson...serving as special prosecutor...called 5 of Hays' customers for the preliminary hearing.

All testified they had received estimates from Hays for work on their homes...primarily roofing...and had paid him half or more the estimate up-front to purchase supplies.

They also said the work had not been completed, they had not received the materials Hays said he was buying, and they had not gotten any of their money back.

Nebraska State Patrol Investigator Keith Drinkwalter recounted similar stories from other customers of Hays, and offered copies of Hays' bank records which showed he'd deposited the checks from the complainants.

Defense attorney Audrey Elliot of Gering argued that Hays had done some of the promised work and planning to do it, but County Judge Charles Plantz ruled the evidence was sufficient to send the case to trial.