Alleged snow plow scammer faces judge

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A Cheektowaga woman accused of taking money for snow plowing jobs she never showed up for had to answer to a judge Tuesday night.

It was the first time Terry Lyn Jarvis was in court since her arrest. Her son was there when she walked in - handcuffed and shoeless. He says there are problems at home, which is why the jobs weren't completed.

Jarvis toyed nervously with the restraints as she stood in front of Judge J. Mark Gruber in Town of Tonawanda Court. She was arrested Monday.

Jarvis said she was self-employed, telling the judge, "I have some snow plowing contracts that I do."

But customers say Jarvis never completed those contracts, apparently a main source of her income. Many of her customers called the Better Business Bureau and our Call 4 Action team, saying they were scammed. Customers say Jarvis took the money and never answered their calls when the work wasn't done.

The only plow Jarvis is known to have now sits idly in front of her Cheektowaga home. That's where police arrested her on multiple charges, including a felony charge of scheming to defraud. Police say she tried to get away from them, but ironically wound up getting stuck in the snow in front of her house.

Judge Gruber asked Jarvis, "Do you understand what I just read to you?"

She replied, "That I was stealing money from people, you mean from the contracts? I do understand what you just read, but I don't understand why."

Jarvis' son told the judge before the first snowfall, his mother's wife was hit by a car. She's still in the hospital, which is why there's been a problem.

"That's why her plowing got a little screwed up, she was hit by a car and was in intensive care. That's why we're in this big situation, we kind of need her to help take care of things around the house. That's the long and short of it. That's what happened," said Jarvis' son.

With that in mind, Judge Gruber set Jarvis' bail at $2,000. Her son told News 4 he planned to bail her out Tuesday night. That may not be possible, since Jarvis faces arrests warrants in at least two other jurisdictions for the same alleged scheme.

She's due back in Town of Tonawanda Court later this week.