Beau Michael Guidry of Baton Rouge, Louisiana was busted flat today by a U.S. District Court judge who sentenced the used car dealer to 20 months in prison for odometer fraud on motor vehicles. Moreover, the court ordered Guidry to pay $72,805.51 in restitution to the victims of his crimes.
Guidry purchased high-mileage vehicles via eBay and wholesale automobile auctions in Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas. The vehicles’ odometers were then rolled back as much as 147,000 miles and resold via Guidry’s company, Affordable Imports in Denham Springs, La., or through eBay to unsuspecting purchasers.
Guidry exclusively rolled back vehicles that were more than 10 years old when he sold them. Because of the age of the cars, Guidry was not required to sign a disclosure certifying the mileage on those 10-year old vehicles as accurate. However, each time he altered an odometer with intent to change the mileage on the odometer, he violated federal law on odometer fraud.
“Odometer tampering preys mostly on those in society who can least afford to be defrauded,” said Stuart F. Delery, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division. “In these tough economic times, we will take strong action against anyone who defrauds consumers and jeopardizes the safety of our roads and highways.”
