A Toledo man convicted of his first theft charge at age 13 was sentenced Wednesday to 17 months in prison for taking money from a senior citizen for home improvement work that he failed to complete.

John W. Hawkins, Jr., 47, of the 200 block of White Street, pleaded guilty March 23 to theft from a person in a protected class for the Sept. 14 incident. A charge involving another elderly victim was dismissed in  a plea agreement.

Citing his history of “victimizing the elderly,” Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Linda Jennings ordered Hawkins to pay a total of $2,000 restitution to the two victims.

First Published April 8, 2016, 4:00 a.m.