BEAUMONT, TX — A Jefferson County man who rented a vehicle for a friend under his own name has found himself facing a massive financial penalty and years of probation after both the friend and the vehicle mysteriously vanished.
The case of Ricardo Kelly serves as a stark warning to anyone tempted to sign legally binding contracts as a favor for others.
The Missing Mazda
Kelly appeared in court before Judge Stevens, facing state jail felony charges of theft of services. The indictment stems from an August 2023 rental agreement involving a Mazda automobile from Avis Rent a Car.
According to court records, the vehicle was never returned to the rental company, prompting police involvement and subsequent felony charges against Kelly, who was the sole signer of the contract.
When Judge Stevens pressed Kelly on the whereabouts of the $24,282 vehicle, Kelly admitted he had no idea where the car was. He explained that he had rented the vehicle as a favor for a friend who then failed to return it.
“I rented the car for a friend and the friend didn’t do right with the car,” Kelly testified. “Now the car is missing, and I don’t know where it is… I’m willing to take my rap, take my probation, and get it out of the way.”
No Financial Plan for $24K in Restitution
While the prosecution and defense reached a plea agreement for five years of regular probation, Judge Stevens expressed deep skepticism regarding Kelly’s ability to pay back the enormous $24,282 restitution bill owed to Avis.
When asked if he had any money to put toward the debt immediately, Kelly conceded that he did not have “a dime” ready. He currently works as a restaurant chef earning $11 an hour, translating to roughly $22,000 a year before taxes.
The lack of a concrete payment plan drew a sharp reprimand from Judge Stevens, who criticized the trend of defendants receiving probation without demonstrating how they plan to make their victims whole.
“Must be nice to not have to pay $24,000, not give a car back, and then scamper away on probation,” Judge Stevens remarked. “You don’t even have a plan for restitution. You have nothing to give right now. This happens a lot up here… and the people who are out the money never get it.”
Judge Stevens reminded Kelly that signing a rental agreement and immediately handing the vehicle over to an unauthorized third party constitutes a form of contractual fraud.
Hunting Down the “Friend”
While Kelly accepted full legal responsibility for signing the contract, Judge Stevens agreed that the unnamed friend who took the vehicle should also face the consequences.
The judge ordered the District Attorney’s office and local law enforcement to actively investigate and track down the individual who vanished with the Mazda.
As a customized, mandatory condition of his five-year probation, Kelly was ordered to fully cooperate with law enforcement and the DA’s office in their efforts to locate the vehicle and bring the associate to justice.
“I’d like that guy brought to justice and got in here as soon as possible,” Judge Stevens told prosecutors.
Ultimately, Judge Stevens accepted the plea agreement, sentencing Kelly to a suspended two-year state jail term and placing him on five years of regular probation, alongside the mandatory $24,282 restitution order.