Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange said Thursday that he obtained a permanent injunction against a car dealership in Elmore County, alleging the dealer defrauded individual customers and businesses.
The injunction was granted by Elmore County Circuit Judge Sibley Reynolds against Quality Used Cars, which was doing business as Pre-Owned Automotive, located at 6153 and 6155 Elmore Road. The injunction names the owners and operators as Clayton and Connie Reeves.
“We presented evidence of egregious violations, and I am pleased that the court has granted our request to protect consumers and businesses from further harm by this company and its operators,” Strange said. He said the dealership is accused of numerous instances of “actively defrauding consumers, banks, credit unions and car dealerships.
Strange said Connie Reeves violated the state’s sales tax law when she collected, but didn’t pay about $53,072 in taxes, plus about $4,315 in interest and about $26,608 in penalties. Her dealer license was also suspended, but she continued to operate the dealership, which is a violation of the Uniform Certificate of Title and Anti-Theft Act, Strange said.
The court order prohibits the owners and any of their agents from running an automotive dealership or financing a business. They were also ordered to pay $18,000 in individual penalties and attorneys’ fees totaling about $4,500.