By The Associated Press

MOUNT VERNON — A southwestern Indiana man faces more than three dozen charges alleging that he failed to pay for $250,000 worth of timber he purchased over a two-year period.

Christopher L. Collins, 40, of Evansville was charged last week with 39 counts, including theft, check deception and corrupt business influence, in two counties.

Conservation officers identified 17 individuals in Gibson and Posey counties who have not received payment for their timber per agreements reached over a two-year period dating back to 2018, the Evansville Courier & Press reported.

Collins' attorney, Michael Keating, said Tuesday his client allegedly failed to make payments on some of the timber contracts he entered into, while on other contracts he made “partial payments but allegedly not total payments for the amount owed."

He said Collins faces an April trial on the charges.

A message seeking comment on the charges was left Tuesday for his attorney.