Update 10/23/17 – Our In Your Corner team has new details involving the state’s case against the owner of Oklahoma storm shelter business Tornado King.
Owner William Stephens is charged with six counts of embezzlement.
Scott Hines received word Monday he’s agreed to a plea in the case.
Stephens flipped his plea from ‘not guilty’ to ‘no contest,’ meaning he must pay over $100,000 to his victims and serve a five-year deferred sentence.
Stephens was paid in full or partial payments for storm shelters he never put in the ground.
He will avoid more time behind bars as long as he stays out of trouble and current on his restitution payments.
Remember, there’s no regulation of storm shelter installers in our state, so it pays to do your research before handing over your cash.
—
OKLAHOMA CITY – An Oklahoma man who owns a company that installs tornado shelters has pleaded no contest to his embezzlement charges.
Earlier this year, Williams Stephens, the owner of Tornado King, a storm shelter manufacturing and installation company, was charged with seven felony counts – six counts of embezzlement and one count of pattern of criminal offenses.
The Attorney General’s office launched an investigation into Stephens and his company after receiving several complaints of alleged fraud against the Tornado King Shelters company.
Throughout the course of the investigation, agents discovered on multiple occasions the Tornado King received full or partial payments for work his company never completed.
When victims attempted to contact Stephens’ company, he was unresponsive.
Monday, Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter announced Stephens pleaded no contest to the seven felony counts against him.
As part of the plea, Stephens will pay $101,403.23 in restitution to victims and serve a five-year deferred sentence.
Attorney General Hunter commended the work of the agents who investigated Stephens and attorneys who brought restitution to victims.
“Oklahomans trying to protect their loved ones were left vulnerable by Stephens’ greed,” Hunter said. “I am proud of the dedication by the agents and attorneys in the Consumer Protection Unit, who worked tirelessly to ensure victims in this case were made whole and that Stephens was held liable.”
