A 47-year-old contractor has been charged with felony theft by contractor after allegedly taking more than $45,000 for home modifications intended to accommodate a disabled resident and leaving much of the project unfinished, Columbus police said. Jay E. Patey was arrested Tuesday at his home in Burnett and taken to the Columbia County Jail. He was charged Thursday with one count of felony theft by contractor, according to Columbus Police Chief Dennis Weiner. Patey is scheduled to return to court Nov. 16, online court records show. The resident made multiple payments beginning in late 2023 and continuing through 2024, Weiner said. Patey began work soon after the first payment, but his work became sporadic and eventually stopped, police said. The resident also discovered that some supplies paid for had not been purchased. After repeated efforts to contact Patey went unanswered, the resident estimated that about $30,000 of a project valued at roughly $45,000 had not been completed, police said. Authorities also said Patey has an open theft-by-contractor case in Fond du Lac County. Columbus police investigated this case with assistance from the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office. The charge is an allegation; Patey is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.