A 46-year-old Eugene man pleaded guilty Monday, Sept. 21, to wire fraud after falsely claiming his companies would build townhomes on vacant lots in Newport, federal prosecutors said.

David Paul Williams in November 2020 entered into agreements with lot owners and was paid over $850,000 by the landowners between 2020 and 2022, Oregon U.S. Attorney Scott Bradford said in a news release. The agreements involved companies owned or operated by Williams, Treenada Construction and TreeNada Co.

Williams admitted to emailing false updates to lot owners about windows being purchased as well as other misrepresentations along with payment requests.

“Had the victims known that items, including windows, had not been purchased, that the project was not progressing as Williams represented, or that their money was being diverted to other uses, they would not have paid Williams those funds,” the plea agreement states.

Some of the money went to paying off debt owed to a church where he had previously misappropriated funds, according to the plea agreement signed by Williams. The name of the church was not listed in court documents. The money was also used for other projects and other debts, the plea agreement states.

Williams pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Portland. As part of plea negotiations, prosecutors agreed to dismiss nine other counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors said Williams must also pay restitution to victims.

The maximum sentence for Williams is 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Dec. 22.