A former Perrysburg homebuilder, indicted on 25 felony counts, has died.
Ralph E. Slaske Jr., 47, who resided in Lakewood Ranch, Florida, was found dead in his home on July 22 of an apparent suicide. His death remains under investigation in Florida.
Mr. Slaske was arraigned in the Wood County Court of Common Pleas on April 16.
He was indicted in January after the Perrysburg Police Division and the Wood County prosecutor’s office conducted an investigation into his business, Slaske Builders, said Paul Dobson, county prosecutor.
The charges against him stemmed from allegations of misconduct in the operations of several of his businesses, which resulted in defrauding multiple area customers, banks, subcontractors and others in the construction industry.
“It is alleged he would take money from customers without providing services,” the prosecutor said, adding that Mr. Slaske defrauded banks by forging affidavits for work that had never been performed.
“This would permit him to draw from the funds being held by the banks for projects,” he explained, adding the builder also engaged services of subcontractors without paying them.
According to Mr. Dobson, Mr. Slaske closed his business in February 2018, leaving multiple projects incomplete or not started, despite taking money for them.
He was indicted on theft of more than $1.5 million from multiple victims as well as money laundering and tampering with records.
The most serious count, theft, was a first-degree felony.
Mr. Slaske appeared in court June 4 and was next scheduled to appear August 20 for a pretrial conference, Mr. Dobson said.
“He had been released on a $50,000 bond, although a warrant for his arrest had been issued on July 20,” the prosecutor noted.
“As in all criminal cases where the defendant dies, the charges will be dismissed,” Mr. Dobson added.
