Conrad and Nicole Sayer, owners of trailer dealership Cargo Trailers Unlimited, were jailed and charged recently on four counts of felony theft by deception after authorities say they duped several customers out of nearly $15,000.
In late October, deputies were given a telephone number to make contact with the CEO of Thompson Home Builder & House Remodeling in Mobile, Alabama. The victim explained to authorities that he had contracted with Cargo Trailers Unlimited on August 27, 2014, to purchase a cargo trailer for $6,100. He stated that he sent a certified cashier’s check in that amount to Cargo Trailers Unlimited with the understanding that the trailer would be delivered on October 10 and that the check had been cashed on September 2.
The victim said he made several calls to the Sayers after the October 10 deadline and was told that the company (a local manufacturer) that was building the trailer was behind on orders and had not built his trailer yet. He later learned from the manufacturer that the trailer in question had not been paid for and could not be released.
During the investigation, sheriff’s officials say, it was also determined that individuals from three other locations: Pine Knot, Kentucky; Theodore, Alabama; and Macon, Georgia, had also fallen prey to Cargo Trailers Unlimited.
In these incidents, individuals were sending monies to Cargo Trailers Unlimited to have trailers built. However, the monies received by the Sayers was being used to pay for other trailers that had already been built. It was also learned that one of the trailers paid for by one of these individuals was shipped to the state of New York.
These transactions mounted to losses of over $14,955 to the victims in the cases.
Conrad Sayer has since been released on a $36,000 bond, while Nicole remains in the Coffee County Jail on a probation hold. Officials state the local manufacturer was not involved with this deception and has since relinquished all dealings with Cargo Trailers Unlimited.
Nicole Sayer