Crooked garage goon gets prison: Time's up for Temo

FOX 2 (WJBK) - An Oakland County contractor was supposed to be building garages. Temo Sessions was convicted of running a criminal enterprise taking money under false pretenses.

But as this moved its way through the court system, he's been free on bond for years. Today, that ended.

Rob Wolchek: "The good news is you're not going to be seeing me for a long time.  the bad news is you're probably going to prison."

They're closing the garage door on Temo Sessions - or should I say the cell door.

We're going to get to hear from Temo as he asks for mercy before he's sentenced, and we're going to hear from the judge who ain't buying it.

"A lot of what you said was disingenuous," said the judge.

The payoff is coming up.

Artemio Fabiano Sessions is his name - and cheating customers is his game.

"I just want him stopped,  he steals money from people," said Amy, a victim.

Rob put this garage goon in the Hall of Shame back in 2019.

Temo ran a company out of Walled Lake called Garages R Us.  He took in tens of thousands of dollars from his customers to build garages.

"Out of all the guys in Michigan, in the state of Michigan, I found the biggest scumbag of them all," said Slyvester, a victim. "That's kinda crazy right?"

Sometimes Temo started the work, talked the victims into giving them more money, and then disappeared.

Wolchek: "What do you think I should say to this Temo when I go talk to him?"

"You a scumbag, dude," said Robert, a victim.

Other times, when he had a particularly vulnerable victim like Judith, a single mom, he just nabbed the cash and split.

"He took all my money," Judith said. now i don't have money to build another garage."

What did Temo do with all the money?  I don't know for sure but he did self-publish a novel amidst his garage crime spree.  His pen name was Temi Fabiano.  Bad builder - but a bestselling author, just kidding.

Both his building and bookwriting bombed.

Attorney General Dana Nessell said Temo's garage business was a racket. She charged him with conducting a criminal enterprise and taking money under false pretenses.

The trial was held in January of this year, where several victims testified about how they lost tens of thousands of dollars.  

The jury found him guilty.

Temo was already a habitual offender, so when he comes back to court for sentencing in february he's looking at very long prison sentence.  

But he doesn't seem to want to speak with Wolchek.

Wolcehk: "Temo, you got anything you want to say?"

Temo: "No."

Wolchek: "You don't want to apologize to the victims?"

Temo: "I got nothing to say to you guys."

Wolchek: "Nothing at all?"

Temo: "Nope."

But his victims do.  Kevin lost $55,000 to Temo for a custom garage.

"He's making his own bed and now he's going to have to deal with what he gets," Kevin said.

Kevin says he'd rather have his money back, than see Temo sent to prison. But Temo has never paid back a dime."

"I feel sorry for him and his family but, what he did - you know," Kevin said.

Wolchek: "You're a nice guy because I don't feel sorry for him."

Related:

• Con man contractor faces the music - in court
• Bad builder turned author can't write himself happy ending
• Crooked contractor now in jail facing criminal enterprise charges

Even though everyone is in place, Temo's sentencing report is challenged.  Temo is free on bond for a whole month.

Now it's March and Temo was back - wearing the same shirt as last time.

Wolchek: "Temo, you want to talk to me? You want to say anything? Really?  Nothing to say?  You don't feel bad for those victims?  Nothing to say at all."

Temo should be hauled off in handcuffs right? Nope. His lawyer, Amy Hopp convinces Judge Cheryl Matthews to give her another month to prepare paperwork that she thinks will help her client.

"There were numerous victims that testified," the judge said.

"I agree, there were numerous persons here that testified," said the defense attorney. "I do not agree that they were victims."

So Temo gets another whole month out of bond. And finally, it's time for the garage guy to go down.

Temo was back, wearing that same shirt.

Before he learned his fate, Temo addressed Judge Cheryl Matthews and said it's really not his fault at all.

"Things just got out of hand and out of control and I just couldn't stop it," Temo said. "And with getting Covid and the state shutting down and the lack of communication with the victims and communicating with Rob Wolchek, and I didn't know if I could communicate with them to finish what was going on ..."

But remember, Wolchek did his first story on Temo in 2019, way before the pandemic and Temo even told Rob then, that he was out of business.

Wolchek: "What's going on with your garage business?"

Temo: "It's out of business."

"These people were specifically targeted because you know they trusted you," the judge said.

Temo was sentenced to 40 to 240 months in prison - which means he has to serve at least three years in prison, but could do as much as 20 years.

Wolchek: "Temo, thanks for mentioning my name to the judge at the sentencing but I had nothing to do with sending you to prison. But I have everything to do with sending you to the Hhhhhall of Shame."

Temo will have a restitution hearing via Zoom and will be ordered to pay his victims back. The amount of this money has yet to be determined.
 
None of the victims Wolchek spoke to think they'll ever get a dime out of the guy.