Minnesota pool contractor sentenced to 5 years after leaving Twin Cities families' backyards in ruin

A pool contractor at the center of a WCCO investigation, who promised a pool but never delivered, will spend five years in federal prison.

On Thursday, the judge handed down a higher sentence for Charles Workman than the recommended range. U.S. Marshals took him out of court in handcuffs to begin serving his sentence right away.

Workman was ordered to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution to victims. 

This all started four years ago when families contacted WCCO saying Workman took their money but left their backyards in ruin. 

The indictment for wire fraud says Workman spent some of what people paid him on child support, at the casino and on a horse and saddle.

WCCO's investigation led to a civil judgement with the Attorney General's Office and Workman's federal sentence.