Ohio AG files suit against two Toledo brothers operating Toledo Appliance Repair

Press release:

(TOLEDO, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today announced a lawsuit against two brothers who operated Toledo Appliance Repair. Roger Sutherland and Shawn Wheeler, both of Toledo, are accused of performing shoddy work and misrepresenting their services. The Attorney General is seeking consumer restitution, an injunction to stop further violations, and civil penalties.

“These individuals came into consumers’ homes, made repairs without providing estimates, and then surprised consumers with the bill,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Because consumers filed complaints, we were able to detect a pattern of violations, and we encourage any other consumers who believe they were treated unfairly to contact our office.”

The brothers advertised on Craigslist and in the yellow pages, often using the names Toledo Appliance Repair, Toledo Appliance Guys, or Brothers Appliance.

About 15 consumers filed complaints against the business, reporting total losses of $5,844.50, including a $2,200 loss and a $1,300 loss. Consumers generally said that after the business repaired an appliance, the appliance quickly broke again, often within hours or days of the repair.

The business advertised a one-year warranty but Sutherland and Wheeler never returned to make the additional repairs. They also claimed to accept credit cards but once in a consumer’s home, they said they only accepted cash. Some consumers said they were expecting only an estimate but that the business quickly made the repair and handed the consumer a bill.

The Attorney General’s lawsuit charges the brothers with multiple violations of Ohio’s Consumer Sales Practices Act. Counts include shoddy work, misrepresentation, failure to inform consumers of their right to an estimate, and failure to deliver.

Attorney General DeWine encourages consumers to research a business before making any payments. Consumers can check for complaints on file with the Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureau. They also should check with the Ohio Secretary of State to determine whether the business is properly registered.

Consumers who suspect an unfair or deceptive business practice should contact the Ohio Attorney General's Office at 800-282-0515 or www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov.

A copy of the lawsuit is available on the Ohio Attorney General's website.

AG's 'Operation Download' results in search warrant at Walbridge location

Press Release:

Attorney General DeWine Releases Details of "Operation Download"

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) -- Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine released information today regarding multiple search warrants served across the state as part of "Operation Download."

Agents with the Attorney General's Crimes Against Children (CAC) Initiative, which operates as a division of the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI), simultaneously served the search warrants this morning at homes in Hamden, Walbridge, and Mentor, Ohio.

Each location had been identified by CAC investigators as a site where child pornography was illegally possessed and downloaded. Although the criminal conduct is the same, the individual cases are not related.

"Downloading and sharing child pornography is not a victimless crime. The children in the photographs are victimized each time someone views an image," said Attorney General DeWine. "These predators need to know that we are aggressively coming after them."

One person was arrested, and charges are expected to be filed against additional suspects.

Attorney General DeWine announced the Crimes Against Children Initiative in late 2011. More than a dozen agents and staff experts focus specifically on assisting local law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting criminals who victimize children.

Since early 2012, those assigned to the CAC Initiative have assisted law enforcement in 54 counties on 170 cases including allegations of child pornography, rape, sexual assault, child abuse, human trafficking, and sex offender registry violations.

"It is important that we do everything we can to protect our kids," said DeWine. "Every child should be able to enjoy their youth without being targeted by predators."

Investigators with the Lake County Sheriff's Office, Mentor Police Department, New Richmond Police Department, Perrysburg Township Police Department, Vinton County Sheriff's Office, Vinton County Prosecutor's Office and FBI Child Exploitation Task Force assisted in serving the search warrants.

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Open Meetings and Public Records training in Toledo

How do you hold elected officials accountable? You keep track of what they're doing and making sure they're doing things correctly.

But how do you do that? You know the law and take advantage of public records to find out what's going on and who is doing what.

And where do you learn how to do that? By attending training.

The Ohio Attorney General will conduct Sunshine Law training here in Toledo on Wednesday, Nov. 14th.

All elected officials are required to attend such training on a yearly basis, but members of the public are invited and encouraged to attend.

The training is free, but the AG requests registration. You can register here.

It will take place at the McMaster Center in the Toledo Lucas-County Public Library (325 Michigan Street in downtown Toledo). It runs from 1 to 4:15 p.m.

Please take advantage of this opportunity. Ohio has one of the best laws in favor of disclosure and some of the best protections for citizen access to public information. You never know when you'll need to know your rights.