Garage contractor charged with felonies

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel last Friday announced the arrest and arraignment on felony charges of an Oakland County man who has repeatedly scammed homeowners out of tens thousands of dollars.  

“An individual who hones and perfects a routine for defrauding individuals out of their hard-earned dollars is perpetrating a scam and must be held accountable,” said Nessel.  “Consumers must always be on the alert for these kinds of criminals and take every reasonable precaution to protect themselves from those looking to take advantage of a situation.”

Artemio Sessions, 53, of Walled Lake, was arraigned last Friday in the 50th District Court in Pontiac before Judge Michael Martinez on two felony charges as part of an ongoing investigation into a scam he ran through his business, Garages R Us. Bond was set at $5,000. Sessions is charged with: 

• One count of False Pretenses over $1,000 but less than $20,000, a felony of up to five years in prison and/or $10,000, or three times the value of the money or property involved, whichever is greater. 

• One count of Conducting a Criminal Enterprise, a felony of up to 20 years in prison and/or $100,000 fine. 

The charges stem from instances that occurred in the communities of Pontiac, Westland, Rochester Hills, Mt. Clemens, Redford, and Saline.  Sessions is alleged to have defrauded multiple customers out of tens of thousands of dollars for contracted jobs to build or repair garages that were never completed.  Sessions reportedly used the same methods to carry out his scheme on multiple occasions.  Sessions allegedly contracted with customers, obtained payment and then made excuses for failure to start the work or complete the work. After a period, Sessions would stop returning calls or messages. 

The business Sessions owns, Garages R Us, was previously featured on the Fox 2 News Detroit segment, Rob Wolchek's Hall of Shame.  

A probable cause hearing has been scheduled for April 20 at 1:30 p.m.