Deidra Stephens is one of many customers angry with Don's Tree Experts in DeKalb County.,
LITHONIA, Ga. - Some people bring out the best in others. That is, unless they’re a contractor who took your money and ran.
"In the beginning, I just wanted to hunt her down, to find her, to get people around to yell," remembered Deidra Stephens, a pleasant, unassuming federal retiree who lives in Lithonia.
In January, she would find herself doing something she once probably could never imagine: standing outside a Gwinnett County courtroom with other customers exchanging loud taunts with Don’s Tree Experts owner Angela Hodges.
"I called her a thief," said Stephens. "Because that’s exactly what she was."
Angela Hodges runs Don's Tree Experts in DeKalb County. She still has a criminal case pending there.
Hodges spent years successfully avoiding those angry customers, homeowners who said they paid up front to have trees removed, but Hodges either didn’t show up or didn’t finish the job.
From 2019 through 2023, Hodges forced delays in court by saying she was sick, recovering from surgery, switching attorneys, asking for a bench trial, then changing her mind and asking for a jury trial instead.
Irene Ford (R) blamed Hodges for leaving her backyard in such a mess while her son suffered from serious health troubles. He later died while Ford struggled to convince Hodges to finish the work. This was from an earlier hearing in DeKalb.
But Gwinnett County prosecutors finally convinced Hodges to agree to a plea deal that will hopefully get some of those customers back their money.
In exchange for a six-year probated sentence, Hodges promised to pay back six customers, including Stephens, for a total of $15,350.
What’s unusual is all six victims live in DeKalb County, not Gwinnett. In an email, Gwinnett County Managing Assistant District Attorney Drew Unger explained Hodges had already paid back their victim in full by the time the case was ready for trial.
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Tree cutter reaches deal to pay back customers
Some metro homeowners pray their frustrating nightmare with a contractor will soon be over. They all did business with a DeKalb County-based tree cutting company, a fateful decision that led to years of court battles and criminal investigations. The experience transformed these customers into people they themselves didn’t recognize.
That doesn’t make any possible crime disappear, but it could make it harder to win a conviction.
"So the choice was made rather than take up the time of the court and the citizen jurors of Gwinnett for a trial where our victim was already made whole, we would instead condition a plea on paying back other known victims," Unger said.
Because the other victims didn’t live in Gwinnett, paying them back wasn’t something prosecutors or the judge could force Hodges to accept.
"However, the defense in that case can and did agree to it," said Unger.
Angela Hodges and some of her customers exchanged taunts outside a Gwinnett courtroom following a January hearing.
One of Hodges’ attorneys Jason McLendon released a statement saying, "Ms. Hodges is thankful to resolve her Gwinnett County case in a just fashion. We look forward to addressing her other legal issues if they arise."
Hodges owes Deidra Stephens $1500. She has two years to pay it all back. What does the victim think her chances are of seeing that money?
"Pretty much zero," Stephens said with a smile.
But if Hodges doesn’t pay back everyone by the deadline, she will go back before the judge for resentencing.
"And I’ll be there," vowed Stephens.
And it’s safe to say, so will all the others.