Whistleblower: They're not sold on 'Gavel Girl'

Mike Lamprecht needed money to remodel his kitchen, so he gathered up some antiques and postage stamps he'd collected and took them to the Shakopee Auction Center.

The property was sold at auction, and Lamprecht should have received 75 percent of the proceeds in 30 days from auctioneer Jennifer Anne Sexton, who goes by the name "Gavel Girl."

Nearly six months later, he's still waiting for his $2,315.25.

"I am really angry and it almost makes me more angry that she hasn't communicated with me," says Lamprecht, 57, a school psychologist who lives in Minneapolis. "I feel like have been totally ripped off."

Lamprecht isn't the only one. In the past two years, Lamprecht and six others have filed claims against Shakopee Auction Center in Scott County conciliation court, alleging they never received payment for items sold at auction. In all five cases that have been heard so far, the court ordered Sexton to pay up. In four of those cases, she hasn't.

Despite the court judgments and federal and state tax liens, Sexton is still running auctions. She also has a five-year contract with the Minneapolis Police Department to auction off stolen bicycles and other property.

Interviewed after she conducted an auction at a Shakopee storage company Tuesday, Sexton declined to discuss any of the court cases, but said the customers will be paid soon after she settles federal and state tax issues.

When Whistleblower visited Minnesota Auction Advantage, Tom Sexton, her husband, was on the premises. "I come in and help out," he said. He declined to identify the new owner.

A young man walked up, said he was the new owner and said his name was Troy. "They closed it, I opened my own company," he said. "That is all you need to know." He then ordered Whistleblower off the property.

The Minnesota secretary of state's records show Shakopee Auction Center is still incorporated. Minnesota Auction Advantage was incorporated Aug. 11 by Troy James Sexton. State Health Department records indicate he is 19 years old, and his mother is Jennifer Sexton.

Jennifer Sexton said the only customers who have not been paid came from "the last few auctions." But Nancy Boegeman of Prior Lake says Shakopee Auction Center sold items from her deceased mother's estate in August 2010 and she's still waiting for $825. She won a court judgment March 4, but court records show she hasn't been paid. "I am really irritated," Boegeman said.

The state Department of Revenue has filed $29,000 in liens on Jennifer Anne Auctioneering at 214 Holmes St., records show, for unpaid sales and withholding taxes. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service filed a lien June 29 for $9,914.

Kerstin Hammarberg, supervisor of the Minneapolis Police Department property and evidence unit, said she recently signed Sexton to a second five-year contract, auctioning stolen bikes and other items. The department has paid Sexton a total of $22,900 for eight to 10 auctions each year for the past four years.

Hammarberg said she was unaware of Sexton's legal troubles until contacted by Whistleblower.

"We pay her a fee to provide auction service," Hammerberg said. "All the money and all the proceeds are handled by the police department. She does not handle of any of it. We have a cashier sitting there. They take in the money, we are the receiving party. ... We are satisfied with the services she provides us and if anything should change we'll take action."

Whistleblower spoke with Jennifer Sexton on Thursday, moments before a Minneapolis police bike auction. The auction had been listed on the website of the new firm, Minnesota Auction Advantage.

Sexton said she was sorry for the way Whistleblower was treated Tuesday by her son. "Everyone was upset," she said.