Burnsville Man Accused of Scamming 13 Homeowners Through Tree Service Scheme Across the South Metro
Published: November 8, 2025
BURNSVILLE, MINNESOTA - A Burnsville man faces serious felony charges after investigators say he defrauded more than a dozen homeowners across the south metro by taking thousands of dollars in deposits for tree services he never completed.
According to a Dakota County criminal complaint filed on November 6, 2025, Justin Franklin Williams, 44, of Burnsville, is charged with two counts of felony Theft by Swindle (Aggregating over $5,000). Each count carries a potential penalty of up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $20,000.
Authorities allege Williams operated a long-running scam under the guise of a tree care business, collecting deposits and partial payments from residents in Burnsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, Lakeville, Savage, Prior Lake, and Inver Grove Heights, often through Venmo, CashApp, or checks sent to his girlfriend’s account, before disappearing without completing the work.
Pattern of Deception
The Burnsville Police Department began investigating Williams in August 2025 after receiving multiple complaints from frustrated customers. What started as a single report quickly grew into a pattern: Williams allegedly offered affordable quotes, collected deposits, provided partial or no service, and then ignored calls, texts, and refund requests.
In total, detectives identified 13 victims, with losses exceeding $17,000 between August 2024 and November 2025. The complaint notes that Williams was not licensed to perform tree care services in Apple Valley or other Dakota County municipalities, despite claiming otherwise to customers.
Victims Left With Empty Yards and Empty Promises
Inver Grove Heights
According to the criminal complaint, Victim #1 thought she found a reliable professional when she hired Williams on October 9, 2024, to remove seven trees for $2,100. She paid $600 upfront and later another $500 after Williams completed only half the job. Once he was paid, he vanished — leaving half-cut stumps and hazardous debris across her yard. Multiple attempts to reach him failed. She eventually hired another company to finish the job, paying nearly double her original quote.
Prior Lake
The complaint states that Victim #2, who lives in Prior Lake, paid $559.65 via Venmo for tree trimming work that never began. When he threatened to file a police report, Williams refunded $200, promising the rest when “business picked up.” Months later, no refund arrived. The resident told police the ordeal left him wary of hiring local contractors, feeling “taken advantage of for being too trusting.”
Apple Valley
Victim #3’s experience followed the same pattern, according to the complaint. She paid $2,800 upfront for tree removal in August 2024, only to have Williams stop responding after cashing her payment. When she requested a refund, Williams allegedly told her, “he wasn’t giving the money back,” then blocked her number. She filed a police report after realizing she wasn’t his only victim.
Savage
The complaint says that Victim #4 paid $732.06 on October 3, 2024, believing Williams’ assurance that the job would be done within weeks. Instead, months of excuses followed — bad weather, equipment issues, and personal problems. By February 2025, she requested a refund, which Williams agreed to but never paid. She told investigators the experience “felt like a long, drawn-out lie.”
Lakeville
According to the complaint, Victim #5 in Lakeville agreed to a $5,000 project, paying $1,860 down. After four months of delays and excuses, the homeowner asked for partial work or a refund. Williams told him he’d “send something back soon,” but nothing came. The unremoved trees continued to threaten the home’s roof through the winter.
Burnsville — Multiple Victims
The complaint states that at least four Burnsville residents say Williams scammed them.
Victim #6 paid more than $3,200 for a $5,000 tree removal project that was never finished. Williams’ crew arrived briefly in March 2025, made a few cuts, and left. The large, unstable tree remained standing, forcing the homeowner to hire another company at additional cost.
Victim #8 paid $696 in May 2025 to remove an ash tree but received only a string of excuses — from broken equipment to “crew issues.” As of October 2025, the tree was still standing.
Victim #10 paid $1,920 on June 17, 2025, for a tree near her home that she feared could fall. Weeks later, Williams demanded another $200, then sent a small crew that removed only a single branch — about 5% of the total work. Despite a voicemail promising completion, he never returned.
Victim #11 paid $2,000 on June 30, 2025, for the removal of four trees before a home renovation. After 40 unanswered calls and texts, she finally received a response from Williams, saying she’d be charged a 25% cancellation fee if she backed out. The homeowner was forced to pay another company to meet her construction deadline.
Eagan
According to the complaint, Victim #7 paid $1,250 through Venmo for a tree project that never started. He described months of unreturned messages and concern for his family’s safety as large, decaying limbs continued to hang over his driveway.
Prior Lake (Second Victim)
The complaint says the second Prior Lake victim, Victim #9, learned of the alleged scam too late. After paying $325 by check, she discovered online warnings about Williams and attempted to stop payment, but the check had already cleared. Williams removed a small birch tree “as a show of good faith,” she told police, but never fulfilled the main contract.
Burnsville (Neighbor Case)
According to the complaint, Victim #12 was a neighbor of Victim #10 and hired Williams to remove a tree for $2,800 in July 2025, paying an $891 deposit. When he learned from his neighbor about Williams’ conduct, he tried to cancel payment, but the check had cleared. Despite repeated follow-ups, Williams never responded.
Apple Valley (Final Victim)
The complaint states the final victim, Victim #13, hired Williams in August 2025, paying $450 cash toward a $900 project. Williams claimed he was “licensed by the State of Minnesota,” but city records later confirmed he was not licensed to perform tree services in Apple Valley. When the homeowner requested a refund, Williams ignored texts, calls, and even a certified letter. No refund was ever received.
Investigators estimate total losses at $10,758.71 for 2024 through early 2025, and another $6,482 between May and November 2025. The numbers may rise as police continue identifying additional victims.
Prosecutors Seek Restrictions
In a bail memorandum, the Dakota County Attorney’s Office requested that Williams be barred from conducting any tree care services within Dakota County and its cities. Prosecutors also asked the court to prohibit him from contacting or visiting the victims’ properties, citing their vulnerability and his prior access to their addresses.
“The investigation is ongoing to identify additional victims,” the prosecution wrote, emphasizing the pattern of “swindling customers out of their money under the guise of tree care services.”
Williams is summoned to appear in court on December 16, 2025, at 9 AM in Hastings, Minnesota, for his first appearance.
Consumer Warning
Authorities urge residents to verify a contractor's credentials before paying deposits. In Minnesota, tree care companies must be licensed by the city or state, and consumers can check licensing status online through municipal or state databases. You can find a link to Minnesota E-Licensing for business, here: https://mn.gov/elicense/.
Residents who believe Williams or similar operators may have defrauded them are encouraged to contact their local police department or county sheriff.
This information comes from court documents filed in Dakota County District Court. These are merely allegations, not proof of guilt. Williams is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
Written by: Will Wight
