Owner of KC auto parts firm convicted of selling bad motors

The owner of a Kansas City auto supply company has been convicted of illegally selling faulty auto parts to several people over the past four years.

A Jackson County jury on Tuesday found Wesley Emert, 78, guilty on three counts of unlawful merchandising practices. Emert is the owner of Wolverine Auto Supply and several associated businesses, which he has operated from a building in the 2100 block of Manchester Trafficway, according to court records.

Prosecutors accused Emert of knowingly selling vehicle motors that didn’t work, accepting payment for motors that he never installed, and promising refunds that he never paid.

An investigation by the Missouri attorney general’s office identified several businesses operated by Emert, including Wolverine Auto, Wolverine Empire and City Wide Auto Parts.

According to court documents, Emert in November 2013 began advertising vehicle motors for sale through Craigslist and the Thrifty Nickel in the Kansas City area.

Investigators identified several people who paid Emert between $600 and $1,360 for motors that they never received or that didn’t work.

A jury found Emert not guilty on one of four charges filed against him.

Emert is scheduled to be sentenced July 28.

This story was originally published April 28, 2017 at 6:57 PM with the headline "Owner of KC auto parts firm convicted of selling bad motors."