PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Target 8 has confirmed that Pinellas County Consumer Protection is asking prosecutors to bring charges against the owner of a local shutter company.
John Guy Murray, the owner of Shutter Masters has a habit of taking customers’ down payments and not delivering the goods.
Danny Charlemagne says he handed Mr. Murray a $1,650 dollar down payment in August.
“He told me it would approximately 8 weeks,” Mr. Charlemagne said. But 19 weeks later, he’s still missing his shutters.
Danny saw my report on Mr. Murray Tuesday, in which I mentioned he was arrested several times in 2016 and 2017 for offenses such as grand theft and gross fraud. The Department of Corrections says Mr. Murray is currently under community supervision.
My report also profiled Bobby Baldwin of Tarpon Springs who put down $3,500 dollars for new shutters 16 weeks ago. He still no shutters.
“When I was watching the news last night, it’s not funny, but it’s funny, I was dumbfounded,” explained Mr. Charlemagne. “I’m very concerned, I mean $1,650 is a lot of money, man. I bust my butt being in these chairs cutting hair for that $1,650.”
Mr. Murray called to tell me his lawyer will call me on Thursday to explain where they are with these accounts.
Meanwhile, A & Q Custom Shutters, an Orlando company that manufactures shutters for Shutter Masters, has also responded to my report.
They told me they’ve had trouble collecting money from Mr. Murray and Shutter Masters. Moments after I asked Murray about this, A & Q said Mr. Murray called them to say he’d be out next week to take care of things.
A & Q Custom Shutters says two orders placed by Murray are finished and in its shop, and they are willing to help those customers.
It’s unclear if Charlemagne is one of those customers, but one thing is clear-he wants his shutters or his money back.
“I come and I bust my butt for my family and that’s what I wanted to do for my wife, that’s what she wanted that’s what I wanted to do for her,” said Mr. Charlemagne.
The case that Consumer Protection referred to the State Attorney’s Office was similar to Danny Charlemagne’s and Bobby Baldwin’s, but it involved different victims.
If you have a problem that you think should be investigated call our Target 8 Helpline at 1-800-338-0808 or contact Steve Andrews at sandrews@wfla.com.
Follow Steve Andrews on Facebook
MORE TOP STORIES: