CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVDN) – West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said a Putnam County Circuit Court judge this week issued a temporary injunction against four members of the same family who are allegedly engaged in the selling and installation of mobile homes without proper licenses.
The defendants, Gary and Veronica May (husband and wife), Tyler May (Gary’s and Veronica’s grandson) and Joshua May (Gary’s and Veronica’s nephew), conduct business throughout southern and central West Virginia. The injunction not only barred them from selling installing, repairing or remodeling mobile homes without a license, but also from harassing consumers who complained to the Attorney General’s Office—and harassing employees of regulatory agencies (including the AG’s Office), the Manufactured Housing Board, and even the media.
The injunction also barred the Mays from selling any real property during the pendency of the case.
“Most businesses that operate in the state do the right thing but if you cross the line, we’re going to make sure there’s enforcement,” Attorney General Morrisey said. “Those who defraud consumers must be held accountable to the full extent of the law.”
The Mays represented themselves during the injunction hearing in May. The Attorney General’s Office presented evidence and 11 witnesses.
The Attorney General sued the family in March for alleged violations of the state’s Consumer Credit and Protection Act. The lawsuit also asks the court to award restitution for consumers harmed by the defendants’ alleged unlawful activities, among other things.
According to the lawsuit, the business allegedly does not have any of the licenses required to sell, install (which includes set-up), repair or remodel mobile homes. The Attorney General’s Office has received numerous consumer complaints alleging a wide range of unlawful activities by the defendants, including deceptive sales practices, sale of homes not fit for occupancy, faulty and unsafe installation of mobile homes, failure to make promised repairs and renovations and failure to return deposits.
The Attorney General’s Office’s Consumer Protection Division received numerous complaints against the defendants. Those complaints were sent to the Manufactured Housing Board. The board then issued cease and desist orders (nine total), but the business “continued to engage in unlawful activities” and failed to resolve complaints, prompting the Attorney General to file the lawsuit.
Read a copy of the temporary injunction order at: https://bit.ly/3MNaCzK.
Anyone who believes they are a victim of this practice or any other scam can call the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division at 800-368-8808 or visit the office online at www.ago.wv.gov.
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