Erie man accused of running bogus Jeep raffle in 2021 pleads to felony charge in case

An Erie man accused of running a raffle for a customized Jeep in 2021 but never delivering the prize pleaded guilty on Monday to the most serious charge he faced in an investigation by Erie County detectives.

Preston Devenney, 54, pleaded guilty before Erie County Judge John J. Mead to a first-degree felony count of dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities. Prosecutors dropped third-degree felony counts of theft by deception-false impression and perjury that Devenney also faced under an agreement that led to his plea.

Devenney could face up to 20 years in prison on the charge, First Assistant District Attorney Jessica Reger said in court. Devenney is also required to pay restitution, which totals nearly $20,000, under the agreement, she said.

Mead scheduled sentencing for March 6.

Devenney entered his guilty plea on Monday morning as three of what investigators said were many victims of the scam watched the proceedings in Mead's courtroom. Detectives wrote in the criminal complaint that was filed against Devenney in January 2023 that they compiled a list of 210 victims of the raffle scam, with a total amount collected of $19,650.

Jeep offer and a failure to deliver

Investigators accused Devenney, whom they said was the president of the Great Lakes Jeep Jam and of Erie-based Gears-N-Grub, of holding a raffle that promised to award a customized 2021 diesel Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Willys 4x4 and $10,000 to the lucky winner. Tickets were sold for $50 apiece or three for $100 beginning in January 2021, and the grand prize was to be awarded during the Great Lakes Jeep Jam at the Wattsburg-Erie County Fairgrounds in July 2021, according to case information.

Investigators charged that Devenney obtained a small games of chance license and a bingo license, despite having a criminal record that prevented him from obtaining the licenses.

Detectives wrote in Devenney's criminal complaint that the drawing for the Jeep was done on Facebook Live, and the winner was announced as a woman who lived in Corpus Christi, Texas. Investigators were unable to find the woman in Corpus Christi, and when they checked with the Texas auto dealership that the Jeep was reportedly purchased from they learned that the dealership never provided a Jeep to the woman, according to information in the complaint.

Investigators said they additionally learned that proceeds from the raffle were to be donated to the Erie Humane Society and Mission 22, but those organizations never received donations.

When investigators interviewed Devenney about the suspected scam, he admitted that he made up the name of the winner after realizing he wouldn't be able to pay for the Jeep, according to information in the complaint. He said the Jeep Jam was a failure because it was a rainout, and he didn't have the attendance he expected and did not make his number for the grand prize raffle, detectives wrote.

Contact Tim Hahn at thahn@timesnews.com. Follow him on X @ETNhahn.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Erie PA man pleads to felony charge in bogus Jeep raffle in 2021