INDIANAPOLIS — Brandon Billingsley, the former operations manager at KBB Auto Sales, is now facing criminal charges after a state police investigation found evidence that vehicles sold at the dealership had their odometers rolled back.
WATCH FULL STORY BELOW
Billingsley has been charged with tax evasion and fraud, both Level 6 felonies.
This is an update to a WRTV investigation into KBB Auto Sales, where state police found the dealership rolled back odometers.
PREVIOUS | AG Todd Rokita sues Indy car dealer accused of odometer fraud
On Monday, WRTV spoke with two victims named in court documents that lay out the case against the former operations manager.
The Indiana State Police investigation into KBB Auto Sales on Troy Avenue began with a complaint from Tim Hardwick in 2022. A state police detective found the odometer on Hardwick’s 2011 Ford Explorer, purchased from KBB Auto Sales, had been rolled back more than 70,000 miles.
"That car now, the engine has already blowed up. That was within four years," Hardwick told WRTV over the phone.
Hardwick says he's relieved that Billingsley is facing charges.
"Well, that’s good. It's good to see justice come through," Hardwick said. "They was taking advantage of everybody, not just me… I knew they found about 46 cars right then. I think it escalated to over 200."
The 39‑page probable cause affidavit lays out the case against Billingsley.
According to the affidavit, Billingsley did not deny odometers being rolled back, but said he didn't know how it was happening during a police interview.
“Honestly, he gets what he deserves,” Judy Stedman, another victim, said.
Judy Stedman bought a 2012 Chevy Traverse from KBB Auto Sales. The investigation reveals her odometer was rolled back more than 66,000 miles.
"I cannot sell this car. Nobody wants it," Stedman said.
Stedman said she thinks Billingsley should face more charges.
"Yes. I believe every vehicle he did odometer fraud on should be a separate felony charge," she stated.
State police say tampering with odometers reduces a vehicle’s reported mileage to increase the sales price. The probable cause affidavit states that investigators found KBB Auto Sales manipulated the mileage of 40 vehicles between August 2020 and June 2022, totaling more than 2.6 million rollback miles across those 40 vehicles.
The probable cause affidavit also alleges that the dealership under-reported sales and failed to remit collected sales tax. That allegation is the basis for the tax evasion charge against Billingsley.
WRTV reached out to Billingsley this evening after finding his phone number in a public database. He referred us to his attorney. We reached out to his attorney to ask for a statement on the charges and are waiting to hear back.
Billingsley is due in court on February 23.
