RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The Henrico County man who ran a fraudulent sneaker business has been sentenced to jail after his operation swindled hundreds of customers out of nearly $900,000 total.
On Wednesday, Dec. 20, Sneak Foot’s owner, 27-year-old Justin Lee Godsey, was sentenced to 27 months in prison after he pleaded guilty to a federal wire fraud charge in August — which added up to more than $870,000 in losses.
At the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, Godsey’s legal team fought for a lesser, 18-month sentence to be served at home, citing Godsey’s history with bipolar disorder, as well as his entrepreneurial spirit and letters of his character submitted by his loved ones as reasons Godsey is not a threat nor someone to use as an example to deter future wrongdoings.
The judge acknowledged that a 27-month sentence was a “tough pill to swallow,” but emphasized the serious nature of Godsey’s crimes.
Godsey’s was placed into custody immediately following the hearing. The judge ordered restitution — or returned payment for loss of property or stolen items — to be paid. Godsey said his goal is to do so in full and in a timely manner.
Godsey did submit a letter himself, which the judge summarized out loud for the courtroom. He apologized to his victims, his customers and even to former 8News reporter Kerri O’Brien for his conduct and being untruthful during her investigation.
In 2021, complaints about the company were pouring in as Sneak Foot customers asked, “Where are my products?” with nearly 500 complaints reported in June.
According to Barry N. Moore, President and CEO of Central Virginia’s Better Business Bureau, the business was originally Godsey Supply, which had started to get complaints ranging from receiving the wrong items to not being received at all.
By 2020, the business had been renamed to Sneak Foot, according to Moore.
Godsey initially denied any issues with the Sneak Foot company, both in court and to former 8News reporter Kerri O’Brien.
“The thing is though, I don’t own that company,” Godsey said in 2021 when O’Brien asked him to speak about the suspicious company.
In July 2021, fake reviews for Sneak Foot were reported to the customer review site Trustpilot.
In May 2023, Godsey was arrested by federal authorities on charges of fraud and money laundering. An indictment alleged he never owned the majority of the shoes put on sale on the Sneak Foot website.
Godsey originally faced up to 20 years behind bars in August, but pre-sentencing discussions recommended 27 to 33 months instead.
