HUDSON - David Dewayne Lunsford's troubles began last month when he was arrested after authorities said he pocketed $10,000 from a woman who thought the money was going toward a mobile home purchase. Lunsford was released on bail, but the case against him was about to get bigger.
On Wednesday, Pasco sheriff's deputies arrested Lunsford again, accusing him of pocketing $103,371 from 19 customers at Wayne Frier Home Center on U.S. 19 in Hudson.
Lunsford, who worked there as sales manager, admitted receiving $63,371, according to a Pasco County Sheriff's Office report.
But Lunsford, 34, denied taking more than $40,000 that a woman said she handed over. And he has given the mobile home company $3,000 for partial repayment to the victims, the report said.
The report states that Lunsford told investigators that he "conspired with a co-defendant." However, sheriff's spokesman Kevin Doll said Thursday that "we haven't found any evidence of a co-defendant."
From January 2002 to October 2003, the report says, Lunsford negotiated with 19 clients and told them their payments would go toward their home purchases.
An internal audit by Wayne Frier Home Center, the report said, showed that none of the money was placed in a company account and none went toward the customers' contracts.
Victims identified Lunsford from photographs, according to the report, which was prepared by Detective Dean Quinlan.
The Wayne Friar location in Hudson appeared closed Thursday, and a worker there said the business closed last week. Officials reached at the Live Oak offices of Wayne Frier declined comment.
Lunsford, who lives in Coral Springs, according to his arrest report, was released Thursday afternoon from the Pasco County jail in Land O'Lakes on $22,500 bail.
He faces charges of scheming to defraud and grand theft.
State records show that in 1999 Lunsford was convicted of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in Largo. He was sentenced to one year of house arrest and two years' probation.
- Alex Leary can be reached in west Pasco at 727 869-6247 or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6247. His e-mail address is leary@sptimes.com
