CHARLESTON — West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey’s office has filed a lawsuit against four members of the same family for alleged violations the state’s Consumer Credit and Protection Act.
The AG’s office filed its complaint March 23 in Putnam Circuit Court against Gary May, Veronica May, Tyler May and Joshua May individually and doing business as May Brothers Mobile Home Movers and other fictional names. The defendants live in Spencer and Ripley.
According to the complaint, Gary and Veronica May along with son Joshua May and grandson Tyler May have done business throughout southern and central West Virginia as May Brothers Mobile Home Movers. But the AG’s office says the business is not incorporated and does not have any licenses required to sell or move mobile homes.
Morrisey
“It’s really simple: If you’re going to do business in West Virginia, you better comply with our consumer protection laws, and be honest about your work,” Morrisey said. “Those who defraud consumers must be held accountable to the full extent of the law.
“Most businesses that operate in the state do the right thing but if you cross the line, we’re going to make sure there’s enforcement. Plain and simple.”
The AG’s office has received at least 15 consumer complaints alleging a variety of unlawful activities by the defendants, including deceptive sales practices, sale of homes not fit for occupancy, faulty and unsafe installation of mobile homes, failure to make promised repairs and renovations and failure to return deposits, among other things.
The Consumer Protection Division of the AG’s office opened an investigation of May Brothers after learning of numerous unsolved complaints that were sent to the Manufactured Housing Board, which then issued a cease and desist orders (nine total).
But, the AG’s office says the business “continued to engage in unlawful activities.”
The lawsuit includes formal complaints of several individuals received by the AG’s office and the state Division of Labor dating back as far as 2009.
The AG’s office is asking the court to bar the defendants from violating the Consumer Credit and Protection Act related to the selling, moving, delivering, setting up and repairing of mobile homes. It also asks the court to award restitution for consumers harmed by the defendants’ alleged unlawful activities as well as court costs and attorney fees.
Senior Assistant AG Norman Googel and Assistant AG Ashley T. Wentz are handling the case for Morrisey’s office.
Putnam Circuit Court case number 23-C-30