Hussey has been accused of ripping off hundreds of customers through faulty business practices.
Robert Hussey, owner of the now-defunct Seaside Computers and Computer Inferno chains, plead guilty Wednesday to six counts of violating the S.C. Computer Crimes Act, 15th Judicial Circuit Solicitor Greg Hembree said Thursday in a press release.
Hembree said Circuit Court Judge Benjamin Culbertson sentenced Hussey to one year in prison but suspended that to one year probation. In addition to his probation, Hussey must pay restitution in excess of $5,000.
As part of his plea deal, Hussey must fully compensate the victims whose complaints resulted in the six charges.
One of those who did business with Hussey is Jay Sharp. In 2006, Sharp took his new Dell laptop to Seaside Computers to have a memory chip installed.
It took him three weeks to get his computer back, but eventually he did.
"But when I got it back, it was someone else's computer," Sharp said.
Sharp said the computer he got back was beat up and used and had a different serial number from the one he bought from Dell. Hussey told him not to worry, but he did and eventually turned over his complaint to Hembree. Hussey will have to pay Sharp around $1,400.
Hussey has one year, the length of his probation, to pay the restitution or else he's off to prison, Hembree said.
"He runs a substantial risk, I mean a huge risk, of having that probation revoked and sent to prison."
As for Sharp, he's just glad it's over.
"I thought for a while that he'd just keep doing business in Horry County but I'm glad they shut him down."
Almost shut him down that is. Hembree said Hussey told the court he was still operating one computer business in Horry County, though attempts to locate that were unsuccessful.
Hembree said as for the hundreds of others who had problems and filed complaints with the solicitor's office they would have to seem remedy through civil means. Hembree said the bulk of the complaints were contract violations but didn't rise to criminal charges.
Over the past year, Hussey has been accused of ripping off hundreds of customers through faulty business practices. Hembree has said in the past that Hussey would sell faulty computers and fail to properly repair or refund customers. Some customers have complained they paid in full for services but received nothing.
In addition to state charges, Hussey faces federal charges filed by Microsoft Corporation which alleges Hussey pirated software and sold dozens of illegal copies. That case is still pending.
We spoke with Hussey by phone Thursday evening. He told us this whole situation started with the chain's previous owners and spiraled out of control when he took over.
He said he's still running one store in Surfside Beach to answer any remaining complaints.
Have you had a run-in with Hussey? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
