The Thursday sentencing for a contractor and part-time rapper who faces 20 years in prison for allegedly ripping off 11 customers in North Idaho was postponed until the district court judge who has handled the case for several years returns from vacation.

Anton R. Hale found himself between a rock and a hard place after 11 disgruntled clients reported dirty dealings with Hale, the owner of Northern Nature Landscape and Design who also is a part-time rapper.

Hale was charged with 12 counts of grand theft after Kootenai County detectives uncovered payment receipts of more than $50,000 in 2015 from clients who contracted with Hale but were left in the lurch. Detectives uncovered a trail of checks ranging from $1,500 to $13,500 deposited into Hale’s account for unfinished projects that included retaining walls, fountains, fire pits and landscaping work that was not completed.

In one case, Hale was hired to plant trees and landscape a Huntsman Road property. Although the trees were delivered, they sat in their balls of gunny sack cloth unplanted. Hale took $6,000 from an Athol man who expected the contractor to build an altar with a water feature for a July wedding. Hale dumped a load of rock and dickered with some dirt, but the wedding at the rural Athol property came and went. By the following winter, Hale had seemingly ditched the project — and cashed the check.

Hale told one of his clients that his business was in trouble and offered to sell it to her, then directed her to his rap videos including one called “Idaho Bang.”

“In one of Hale’s music videos he is pointing several guns. (The property owner) is fearful of Hale and was hesitant to report anything,” according to detectives.

Other property owners, who also reported receiving threats from Hale, said they did not report them because Hale scared them.

Mediation that began two years ago resulted in one guilty plea and an agreement that Hale would make payments of $500 monthly for restitution, but he failed to live up to the agreement.

In May, his attorneys asked that sentencing be postponed. Judge Cynthia K.C. Meyer denied the request.

“The agreement was pretty firm,” Meyer said. “It required $500 per month each and every month.”

By that time, Hale had repaid $2,675 of more than $55,000 he owed former clients.

Hale, who is not in jail, will be back in court Sept. 30 for sentencing.