Former auctioneer sentenced to 23 months of probation

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - Former auctioneer Dean Kruse has been sentenced to 23 months of probation for defrauding a Delaware couple and another man.  The couple from Delaware sold Kruse three classic cars in Pennsylvania at an auction because they were in a financial bind.  Little did they know they'd have to fight for years to finally get what was rightfully theirs.

Fred Fowler and his wife sold their two hemi Cudas, one a convertible, and a '68 Shelby Mustang to Dean Kruse back in October of 2009 in Pennsylvania.

"I walked away with check for $198,500," Fowler said.

The only problem is Kruse closed the checking account and the Fowler's were left empty handed.  They said they called him several times and later tracked him down in November in Texas at another car auction.

"He gave me a $50,000 check and told me he would give me the rest later.  Deposited the check.  Come to find out, he put a stop payment on the check.  So, that $50,000 was no good."

That hurt Fowler, because the whole reason he decided to sell the cars in the first place is because he needed the money for other financial obligations.
    
"In result of all of this, they (his children) had to take out student loans, I had to get more money for my mortgage to keep me afloat.  So, he put me in a very difficult financial stress."

Fowler said Kruse was not remorseful through any of the court proceedings.

"Truthfully I don't think he (Kruse) is sorry at all without a doubt.  I mean it's true the judge said he... everybody knew he was not sorry for what he did.  Maybe he's sorry he got caught and he had to pay me my money back to me that was supposed to be in the first place."

Wednesday Kruse pleaded no contest to two counts of theft by deception and two counts of theft by failure to make required disposition of funds.  Besides probation, he was also required to pay the Fowler's and the other man from Pennsylvania in full.