Texas Hot Rod Shop Owner Learns Fate After Stealing Customers’ Classic Cars

A former Texas hot rod shop owner who took customers’ money for restoration work that was never finished has been sentenced to decades behind bars.

Richard Thomas Finley received a 60-year prison sentence on Jan. 6, 2026, after a jury found him guilty of felony theft, according to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and the Gulf Coast Auto Crimes Task Force.

Authorities said the case followed a long investigation into Finley’s business practices at Classic American Street Rods, where investigators recovered 24 classic vehicles and numerous parts — more than $2 million worth of stolen property, according to the task force.

The court also ordered Finley to pay $495,000 in restitution to victims.

In a separate statement reviewed by ABC13, the Galveston County District Attorney’s Office said Finley operated a theft-and-fraud scheme from his custom restoration shop in the San Leon–Bacliff area. Customers allegedly left prized classic vehicles with Finley for restoration work that never got done.

Investigators said Finley promoted services such as “engine swaps,” promising to modernize older cars with engines that would be cheaper to maintain. Prosecutors said customers often paid large deposits upfront, then received misleading updates — or no updates at all — about their vehicles.

Authorities said the investigation ultimately identified 72 victims. During trial, 28 victims testified, describing delays that stretched from months to years with little or no progress, despite having paid significant sums, according to prosecutors.

Investigators also alleged that Finley stole parts from customers’ vehicles and sold them to other buyers. More than 20 recovered classic cars were returned to their owners, authorities said.

The jury returned its verdict on Dec. 19, 2025, convicting Finley of theft of property valued at $300,000 or more, a first-degree felony under Texas law.

Finley chose to be sentenced by the court rather than a jury, and Judge Jeth Jones of the 122nd District Court imposed the 60-year sentence.

The Gulf Coast Auto Crimes Task Force said the outcome reflects its continued focus on complex auto-theft cases and holding offenders accountable.

According to Chron, Finley has appealed his sentence. The Houston outlet also reported that investigators served a search warrant in June 2023 at a storage facility tied to Finley in Dickinson as part of the investigation.