Suwanee man pleads guilty to exploiting recovering addicts in vehicle scam
Aaron Edmond Hayes
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. - A Suwanee man who exploited people recovering from drug addiction by promising them cars he never delivered has pleaded guilty to charges of running an illegal enterprise.
Aaron Edmond Hayes, 54, admitted on Friday to violating Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Hayes was accused of defrauding nearly two dozen victims of more than $76,827 through his company, Wheels N Recovery.
"This is a good resolution that gives the people back the money that this defendant took," said Gwinnett County District Attorney Patsy Austin Gatson. "He took advantage of people who were vulnerable, and this order holds him fully accountable."
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Hayes marketed Wheels N Recovery as a business dedicated to selling used vehicles to individuals recovering from addiction. Instead, he collected payments without delivering the promised cars, targeting 22 victims, many of whom lived in Suwanee.
Under the terms of the plea agreement, Hayes was sentenced to one year in prison, followed by two years of work release. "This outcome ensures that justice is served, and the victims can begin to recover from the harm caused by Mr. Hayes," District Attorney Patsy Austin Gatson added.
He was also ordered to repay the full amount he stole from his victims.
The Source: The details in this article were provided by the Gwinnett County District Attorney's Office. A previous FOX 5 Atlanta report was also used, with the link available in the article.