The owner of Consignment RV in Largo, Fla., was sentenced to 20 years in prison Monday, nearly two years after his business practices were first exposed by Better Call Behnken.
This story by Shannon Behnken originally appeared on WFLA News 8.
Jeremy Raney, 39, of Consignment RV was found guilty of defrauding customers in May. The business was previously owned by Raney’s father, but Raney was put in charge when his dad had a heart attack. The business reportedly went downhill from there, as Raney used Consignment RV as “his own personal piggy bank.”
State prosecutors allege Raney took in RVs on consignment, then sold them and kept the money for himself, leaving RV sellers with nothing and buyers without a title for their purchase. Their case involved seven victims.
At his sentencing Monday, a number of Raney’s family members and friends pleaded with Judge Michael F. Andrews to show mercy and allow him to work in order to pay off his debts to the victims.
Raney’s victims, on the other hand, seemed more interested in seeing him go to prison.
“I want the most you can give him,” said one victim who lost $150,000 and claimed Raney ruined her life.
Raney was arrested in January 2017.