St. Clair Shores Man Scams Elderly Woman Out Of Thousands Of Dollars: Prosecutor

ST. CLAIR SHORES, MI — A St. Clair Shores man is facing charges after scamming an elderly woman out of thousands of dollars, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office.

Eric Williams, 60, was charged with obtaining between $1,000 and $20,000 under false pretenses, third notice (10-year felony).

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He was also charged as a four-time habitual offender, which means he faces up to life in prison if convicted.

He was placed in jail with a $25,000 bond. His next court date is scheduled for next Monday.

Prosecutors said Williams went to the 76-year-old woman's home on May 23, 2025 and provided her with an estimate to paint the house's interior.

He also requested and received a 50 percent deposit that day, prosecutors said.

Williams returned to the home multiple times over the following months to solicit additional funds that he said would go toward the project, which he promised would begin in August 2025, prosecutors said.

However, prosecutors said Williams never performed any painting services. Overall, prosecutors said he stole roughly $4,600 from the woman.

"Older adults are too often singled out by scammers who take advantage of their kindness and attempt to financially exploit them," Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a statement. "Our Stopping Crimes Against Macomb Seniors, SCAMS, initiative focuses on strengthening awareness among seniors, their loved ones, and caregivers so they can recognize common fraud tactics before harm is done. Education is a critical defense, and by spreading it widely, we can better protect seniors while ensuring offenders are pursued and held responsible."

Williams was also charged in a separate incident in which he stole more than $30,000 from a senior citizen in Clinton Township, according to prosecutors.

In January, he told the woman that he would repaint the interior of her newly constructed home and new concrete patio, according to prosecutors.

He took her to the bank multiple times for her to withdraw large sums of cash, but never performed any painting or concrete work, according to prosecutors.

In that case, he was charged with the following:

• Embezzlement – From a Vulnerable Adult - $20,000 to $50,000 (10-year felony)
• False Pretenses - $20,000 or More but Less Than $50,000 – Third or Subsequent Offense Notice (15-year felony)
• False Pretenses - $20,000 or More but Less Than $50,000 – Third or Subsequent Offense Notice (15-year felony)
• Habitual Offender – Fourth Offense Notice, which means he faces up to life in prison if convicted.