PITTSFIELD, Mass. (AP) -- A contractor who according to authorities bilked dozens of customers in five states out of a total of more than $400,000 has been indicted on 48 charges.

Prosecutors in Massachusetts say Fred Senter, of Pittsfield, who owned Northern Steel Building and Structure LLC, took down payments for more than 40 projects to build steel structures, yet never completed the work and eventually stopped communicating with his clients, including a church and two volunteer fire departments.

Prosecutors say he cheated customers from February 2020 through September in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and Pennsylvania.

His attorney said in a statement Friday that Senter maintains his innocence.