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Pair receive prison terms
Couple pleaded guilty to fraud in car-selling scam
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Published: June 4, 2009
WILKESBORO
A husband and wife who operated a used-car lot in Millers Creek were sentenced yesterday to active prison time in connection with cheating friends, neighbors and strangers alike after selling their vehicles on consignment.
Judge Ed Wilson of Wilkes Superior Court sentenced Judy Welborn, who owned Welborn Auto Sales on Boone Trail Road, to at least six years in prison.
Her husband, Randy Welborn, who worked as a salesman, was sentenced to at least five years in prison.
Both pleaded guilty yesterday.
She was also ordered to pay restitution of more than $550,000, and he was ordered to pay restitution of nearly $500,000.
Both were arrested in October 2008. Each was initially charged with a handful of counts of felony worthless check and other charges.
But victims kept coming forth, until there were nearly 100 people who said they had been cheated.
"When one started and others heard about it, it was like the floodgates opened up," Assistant District Attorney Fred Bauer said.
Many told the same story: The Welborns had asked to sell their vehicle, but once it sold, they either didn't give the sellers the money or gave them a worthless check, authorities said.
"I think that what was offensive to our office is she reached out to many of these people to sell their cars," Bauer said.
That's what happened to Darren Betbeder, who said that Judy Welborn had approached him about selling his truck for him after Betbeder had placed an ad on his own. He had known the Welborns for years, had mowed their grass as a teenager, and attended church with them. He said he had no reason not to trust them.
Judy Welborn sold the truck at auction, and gave Betbeder a check for $4,250, but kept asking him to put off cashing it. He didn't find out that the check was worthless until the car lot was empty and black plastic had been taped over the sign.
Judy Welborn had 53 victims, and the charges were consolidated into 24 counts, Bauer said. She pleaded guilty to charges of embezzlement, obtaining property by false pretense, and conversion by bailee, a crime that involves taking property and fraudulently converting it to cash for one's own use.
She received 12 active sentences of 6 to 8 months in prison, one to run at the end of the other. Another 12 sentences of 6 to 8 months were suspended, and she will be on probation for those when she is released from prison.
Randy Welborn had 45 victims, and the charges were consolidated into 20 counts, Bauer said.
Randy Welborn received 10 active sentences of 6 to 8 months in prison, running consecutively. Another 10 sentences of 6 to 8 months were suspended, and he will be on probation for those once he is released.
The Welborns both apologized in court yesterday. They said that their business had run into financial problems.
The Wilkes County Sheriff's Office arrested the Welborns within weeks of receiving the first complaint in October 2008. Investigators found that the scheme had already been going on for at least eight months.
■ Monte Mitchell can be reached in Wilkesboro at 336-667-5691 or at mmitchell@wsjournal.com.
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