INDIANAPOLIS -- A door-to-door meat salesman accused of ripping off consumers is no longer operating in Marion County.
Call 6 Investigates aired a report on March 4 that Ryan Harner was operating without a license under a new name, Stockyard Distributors, on Gimber Street in the Mars Hill area.
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Harner was evicted by his Gimber Street landlord shortly after the Call 6 report, records show.
Also, the Marion County Public Health Department said Harner never followed through on his paperwork to become a licensed meat seller.
“Stockyard submitted a license application (business plan) on March 14 shortly after your story aired, but it was not sufficient because they did not have a licensed commissary,” said Curt Brantingham, spokesperson for the Marion County Public Health Department. “A letter was sent from the health dept. to Stockyard on 3/14 regarding the commissary issue and we received no response from them.”
In April, the health department sent an inspector to the Gimber Street address, but found no activity at the building and no vehicles on the property.
Call 6 Investigates exposed Harner, former manager of Midwest Cattle Exchange, last year for questionable sales practices along with company owner Craig Walker.
A Marion County judge ordered former manager Ryan Harner and owner Craig Walker to pay a $50,346 judgment, following a lawsuit from the Indiana Attorney General’s office that alleged Midwest Cattle Exchange broke several laws.
The AG’s office may now have difficulty collecting that judgment from Walker.
Craig Walker filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in federal court on April 18, records show.
In addition to the $50,346 judgment from the State of Indiana, Walker also owes $86,000 to Propak Frozen Foods for debt incurred in 2014 and 2015 while operating Midwest Cattle Exchange.
He also owes dozens of creditors for everything from personal cable bills to medical expenses.
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Midwest Cattle Exchange closed up its West Washington Street location last year and moved to Michigan.
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In March, Call 6 Investigates’ cameras captured Harner, unloading boxes of meat at the Gimber Street location.
The judgment against Midwest Cattle Exchange prohibits Harner and Walker from deceptive sales practices, but does nothing to stop them from operating a legal business, said Molly Gillaspie, spokesperson for the Indiana Attorney General’s office.
The Indiana Attorney General’s office continues to try to collect the $50,346 judgment from Walker and Harner, and is looking into garnishment of Harner’s wages at Stockyard Distributors.
