CONCORD — Jean Michael Coutu, the New Ipswich man convicted at trial a month ago on a charge accusing him of making electrical installations without a license, was sentenced this week to a suspended, 12-month jail term.

The office of state Attorney General John M. Formella said Coutu, 63, was also ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, of which $1,000 is suspended for five years.

He also must complete 100 hours of community service within a year, and is prohibited from contacting the owners of the Peterborough residence where the work was done, according to Formella.

The 12-month jail sentence was also suspended for five years.

The charge — unlicensed electrical installations — is a Class A misdemeanor.

The electrical work that led to the charge being filed occurred between Sept. 13 and Oct. 18, 2018.

Also charged in the case was Einar Barenholtz, whose age and address weren’t provided. He was charged with one count of accomplice to unlicensed electrical installations, also a Class A misdemeanor, Formella said.

Barenholtz pleaded guilty to the charge in July, and was sentenced to 6 months in jail, all suspended for two years, and ordered to pay a $2,000 fine, of which $1,500 was suspended for two years.

He was ordered to complete 40 hours of community service and is prohibited from having any contact with the Peterborough homeowners.

Also, according to Formella, Barenholtz is prohibited from “engaging, using, employing, hiring, or supervising any unlicensed worker, laborer, contractor, or subcontractor, whether independent or otherwise, who is otherwise required to be licensed by any state or federal entity to perform the work or task that that worker is performing.”

Further, Formella said, Barenholtz “may not engage in any trade or commerce as a

contractor, either general or sub, without obtaining the proper permits as required by the federal,

state, or municipal governments for that trade or commerce.”

The case was investigated by Investigator Frederick Lulka of the Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau, state electrical inspector Denis

Laurendeau of the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification, and the

Peterborough Police Department.

Dean Shalhoup may be reached at 594-1256 or dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com.

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