Poplar Bluff man charged with deceptive business practices

A Poplar Bluff man is free on bond after he recently was charged with deceptive business practices for allegedly taking payment for a car, but failing to make the necessary repairs and delivering it.

Morris

Richard Vaughn Morris of the 700 block of County Road 556 is to appear at 9 a.m. May 16 before Associate Circuit Judge C. Wade Pierce for arraignment on the Class E felony of deceptive business practices and the infraction of failure to have a vehicle inspected prior to a sale.

The 59-year-old was arrested Monday and booked at the Butler County jail. He was released after posting a $5,000 cash or surety bond.

The complaint on file with the court alleges between Nov. 26 and Jan. 31, Morris sold a 2008 Mercedes to Misty Myers and Ronnie Moore and in doing so, “used deception or made false promises” to Myers and Moore “by taking payment for the car and stating that he would have deficiencies with the car repaired that prevented it from passing state inspection …”

The complaint further alleges Morris did not have the deficiencies repaired and never delivered the car to Myers and Moore.

The complaint further alleges on Nov. 26, Morris, prior to the sale of a motor vehicle, failed to obtain a new certificate of inspection and approval showing the vehicle was fully inspected.

The charges against Morris stem from an investigation by the Missouri Department of Revenue.

“Ronnie Moore and Misty Myers (Stevens) purchased a 2008 Mercedes … from Richard Morris of Morris Motors on Nov. 26, 2018,” according to a probable-cause statement written by Adam Mathias, a special agent with the Department of Revenue’s compliance and investigation bureau.

Morris Motors is located in the 1000 block of South Westwood Boulevard.

As part of the sale, Mathias said, Morris “agreed to fix several items on the vehicle, including brake pads, a window button and a module on the passenger side door.

“After over a month went by without them being able to get their vehicle, Misty Myers delivered Richard Morris a demand letter for a refund on Dec. 28, 2018, which he refused.”

At that point, Mathias said, Myers and Moore contacted the Poplar Bluff Police Department. Police officers then subsequently contacted Mathias.

“On different occasions, including on Jan. 4, 2019, and Jan. 7, 2019, Richard Morris informed me that the vehicle was ready and would be delivered to Mr. Moore and Ms. Myers,” Mathias said. “However, I learned that this was, in fact, not true.”

Mathias said he also later learned the vehicle had not been inspected, and “would not pass due to issues with the headlights and tail lights.”

Mathias accused Morris of using deception on Jan. 4 and Jan. 7 when he reported the vehicle was ready and would be delivered.

“Further, (Morris) concealed the knowledge that the vehicle still had ongoing issues, and hid these things from the customer,” Mathias said.

As of Jan. 31, Mathias said, the customers “have still not received their completed and inspected vehicle.”