(CBS DETROIT) – A 56-year-old man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for defrauding customers of tens of thousands of dollars in an agreement to build or repair garages for them, the Michigan attorney general’s office announced.
Artemio Sessions, of Walled Lake, was convicted of false pretense and conducting a criminal enterprise.
State officials say Sessions used his company, Garages R Us, to scam money from customers primarily in Pontiac, Westland, Rochester Hills, Mount Clemens, Redford and Saline.
Officials say that after receiving payment, he made excuses for not starting or completing work and stopped answering calls or messages.
“Michigan consumers want the professionals they contract with to be reputable, skilled tradespeople, not rampant scammers,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement. “Sessions defrauded unsuspecting customers out of tens of thousands of dollars, and today’s sentence will put an end to his criminal schemes. When in the market for construction or home repairs, I encourage all Michigan residents to research the contractors they are considering. continue to hold to account those who criminally fail to deliver and simply make off with their customers’ hard-earned money.”
