Perry K. Arons, owner of Patio World Home & Hearth on Brunswick Pike is charged with one count of theft by deception.
LAWRENCE -- The owner of a Lawrence furniture store has been charged with theft for allegedly accepting $38,000 from a Montgomery couple and not delivering their order, the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office alleged.
Perry K. Arons, the owner of Patio World Home & Hearth on Brunswick Pike (Route 1 south), is charged with one count of theft by deception.
The 56-year-old Naples, Fla. resident turned himself into authorities on June 9 and was released pending future court proceedings.
Acting Mercer County Prosecutor Angelo Onofri alleged in a statement that Arons accepted $38,000 from a couple who lives in in Montgomery's Skillman section in March and July of 2015 for patio furniture.
The homeowners never received their order and the money was not returned, the statement said.
The prosecutor's office started an investigation following a referral from the Mercer County Division of Consumer Affairs.
Patio World Home & Hearth's website lists the Lawrence store as the headquarters - with a 15,000 square-foot Showroom with more than 150 displays - and locations in Naples, Fort Myers, Sarasota, Boca Raton and Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.
In March 2014, Florida records show, Arons was arrested and charged by the Florida Department of Revenue with failing to file six consecutive tax returns, a felony case that alleged he failed to file sales and use tax.
Florida investigators alleged Arons collected sales tax from customers, but did not send it to the state as required, from June of 2012 through May of 2013.
Records show Arons entered a diversion program and a deferred prosecution agreement in July 2014.
The Mercer County investigation is ongoing by prosecutor's Sgt. Natischa Clark, as well as Lawrence Detective Todd Caruso. Anyone with information about the business can contact the prosecutor's Economic Crimes Unit at 609-989-6365.
Arons' lawyer Robert Lytle said the prosecutor's office is criminalizing a matter that at its worst is a civil matter.
He said Patio World is a longtime business in Mercer County, not a pop-up unknown, and they have been weathering the country's recession while other larger furniture stores folded up.
Lytle said the couple is not out $38,000, and that the business has been working with the, and has delivered just about all of their order, less a table and an umbrella stand.
Patio World even gave the couple a loaner piece of furniture at one point, Lytle said.
Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.