Carmichaels auto dealer owner charged with $37,400 theft from customers
The owner of a former Carmichaels auto dealership is facing hundreds of charges for allegedly taking $37,436.96 in vehicle registration fees from 227 vehicle customers within three years at Sam’s Auto.
Samuel R. Calabris III, 55, of Morgantown, West Virginia, is facing 100 counts of tampering with public records, 120 counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds, 260 counts each of odometer mileage statement retention and odometer disclosure requirements — all felonies — and 260 misdemeanor counts of keeping accurate records, in addition to hundreds of summary citations for alleged vehicle code violations.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed in his case, state police in Waynesburg began receiving complaints from customers in November, saying they never received titles or registration after purchasing vehicles from Calabris months ago.
Customers were also reporting the alleged crimes to state Rep. Pam Snyder, court paperwork said.
“It was apparent to me, from talking to the complainants, that the defendant had kept customer’s money which was required to be sent to PennDOT within 20 days from the date of the sale of the vehicle,” Trooper Ralph Parise wrote in the affidavit.
Customers reported to police their temporary registration passed 90 days, and when addressing the issue with Calabris, he issued another temporary registration tag, according to the affidavit.
Police conducted a search warrant at the 426 Route 88 auto dealer, and reportedly discovered files were missing, disorganized and “thrown about the office and storage space,” according to court paperwork.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation assigned Parise an assistant, who issued a 9-page report saying Sam’s Auto was in violation for late submissions 261 times and listed 227 vehicle deals in which Calabris reportedly did not send motor vehicle forms, related documents or fees, the affidavit said.
Calabris was arraigned Friday before Magisterial District Lee Watson. He was arraigned and released on a $75,000 unsecured bond.