Montana RV dealer Brandon Bretz wants to make an alleged scam artist’s job more difficult by warning others in the RV industry.
In late June, a man known as Jonathan Roberts—as well as Jonathan Shane Roberts—bought a 2025 Brinkley Z310 Aire travel trailer from Bretz RV & Marine in Billings, Montana. The dealership later discovered the purchase was made with fake checks.
Bretz said, “We have policies in place where we are supposed to verify funds when we take payments and checks, but we skipped that step. The key takeaway is, when you miss things like that, you get bitten sometimes. Make sure you are calling the banks and verifying funds.”
Weekend sales are common, and Roberts appeared to take advantage of that fact. According to Bretz, on a Friday afternoon, Roberts handed over a $5,000 business check from the account of Rebel Ink, LLC, a tattoo supply business he told the dealership he owned with his wife. He returned the next day with a cashier’s check for nearly $95,000 and took possession of the RV.
His tow vehicle was a 2022 F-350 that was also fraudulently acquired.
Bretz RV & Marine discovered Roberts’ checks were fake on July 8, giving him more than a week to disappear.
“This is not the first time we have had a trailer stolen off the lot, and I knew that we would have to fight like crazy to recover the trailer and for Roberts to face consequences,” Bretz said. “So often, we are told that these things happen, to file an insurance claim for our losses, and to move on with life. We were not about to roll over and do that.”
Instead, Bretz launched a social-media blitz. The dealership partnered with the defrauded truck dealership to offer a $5,000 reward for each vehicle and an additional $5,000 for information leading to the conviction of the fraudster. The post had nearly 200,000 views within days.
Bretz established a public tip line, and Roberts was found to have rented a home in Caldwell, Idaho. The Ford truck was found at the home, and local law enforcement recovered the vehicle.
An anonymous tip helped officials track down the missing Brinkley RV at a campground in Homedale, Idaho.
An active warrant is out in Yellowstone County, Montana, for Roberts’ arrest. Bretz said anyone with knowledge of his whereabouts should contact the local police department.
“Then, call us at (208) 295-8932 and let us know,” he said. “We are continuing to push for national awareness because this guy is not just targeting us. He has hit auto dealerships, RV stores, landlords and title companies. There is no reason to think he is done.”
Bretz RV & Marine launched an online form to collect information from anyone who has had dealings with Roberts. Click here to fill out and submit the form.
Bretz said he believes Roberts has worked for and applied to work for several RV dealerships before and after the June incident. He said he would like to make sure other dealers can avoid a similar situation.
“Whenever we report theft like this, we often must argue that it is not a civil matter,” Bretz said. “This is not a mix-up. It is premeditated theft. It is organized fraud. It is time our legal system and law enforcement agencies start treating it that way.”
