Marine mechanic charged with stealing after he collected thousands for repairs he never did
A Camden County man has been charged with stealing after he was accused of fraudulently using a credit card and deceptive business practices.
Christopher Sostman, a marine mechanic and owner of Lake Ozark Mobile Marine Repair, was accused of fraudulently using a credit card after he accepted money for an item he shipped.
According to one probable cause statement, a man purchased a unit for his boat for almost $2,000 via the internet from Sostman.
The man said he threatened Sostman with a fraud report after he had not received the unit.
Days later, the man said Sostamn gave him a UPS tracking number and told him it was on his way.
UPS opened an investigation into the whereabouts of the package after it was never received. UPS concluded the label was only printed off and never used, shipped, or dropped off.
The man told deputies he has still never received the unit or gotten a refund from Sostman.
Sostman was also accused of deceptive business practices when he claimed to have fixed an engine and never did.
According to the second probable cause statement, a man hired Sostman to fix a boat engine and drive.
Sostman claimed the prices for the repairs would be almost $4,000.
The victim said when he received his boat back, he noticed the problems were not fixed.
An expert was hired and determined that no work was completed on the engine.