Bad experience with Brandon Lockett

In December I purchased a python from Brandon Lockett advertised as a Borneo Short Tail from the Tim Mead line…a recent exam by Kara Glasgow and Dave Barker has determined that the snake is definitely not 100% Borneo, but more likely a Blood/Borneo cross.
I have sent several e-mails and left a phone message with someone in his household for Brandon in an attempt to arrange to return the snake and be reimbursed my expenses, but have received no response during the last five days. Obviously he's willing to ignore me until I drop this thing.
At this point, I am out approximately $250 due to a trade transaction that identified the snake accurately.
I have two concerns...Brandon's unwillingness to process this with me and make things right, AND I also wonder whether he has sold these animals to other unsuspecting folks. I don't think this is business as usual for Brandon, and I know he has his fans, but he is handling this very badly.

Where is Brandon from? I'm just curious.

Brandon's posts say Arlington, TX...he had a couple of Boas posted yesterday. I believe the area code for his phone number is a Ft Worth exchange.

or did you trade for the snake? Secondly, you realize that we are in May, and you aquired the snake in Dec of 03! Am I to understand that it took you 6 months to determine that what you received is what you should not have!

excellent point!...I am not an expert on Python curtus, and had no concerns at all about the snake initially.

Two weeks ago I traded it to Kara Glasgow for one of her Red Bloods...as soon as she received it, she contacted me and told me that she had concerns about the snake. She sent detailed head photos to Dave Barker, who is an expert on Blood Pythons. He responded that it is not 100% Borneo.

The snake was sold to me as 100% Borneo Short Tail, and this is not true. Perhaps there is a statute of limitations on this, but the bigger issue is the integrity of the vendor.

The reason I am posting this is so that others may benefit from my experience, regardless of how long ago the transaction took place.

Also, my apologies...I believe I am supposed to have my full name attached to these posts, and I have not done so...I'm not even sure how to do this. BUT- my name is Jim Lineberger, and I live in North Carolina.
All the best-

It is possible that Brandon himself did not know it was a 100% red blood. As for the "statute of limitations" as you mentioned, IMO this should be handled similarly to heteros for snake morphs. If they are not what they were represented as, (genetically speaking) one should be able to return them for a refund.

Yes, it is probably up to the buyer to verify within a certain period of time if the animal was adequately represented. But in this case it took the opinion of an expert to finally determine the issue and it was only discovered because the animal was traded in.

Good luck!

its your obligation once you receive the animal to know what you have or in this case what you dont have. Its also possible that the seller may not have realized that the snake in question was not what he thought he had! In either situation, I still would like to know if this was purchased or traded! Also,

Do you or can you provide any additional proof that in the form of emails or receipts that you were duped! That would certainly add some merit to your argument before calling him a bad guy after having the snake for 6 months and then finding out its not what you thought it was !

Jerry-
I appreciate your scrutiny. It could be too easy to trash someone unjustifiably through this kind of venue.

In my original post I stated that snake was purchased...I paid $175 shipped for her. Honestly, I don't know whether Brandon knew or not that the animal was misrepresented...but I don't think this matters. I have a high standard for myself, and expect the same from others. If I sold a snake two years ago and found out I had incorrectly sexed the animal, I would take it back and reimburse the buyer. I guess this seems extreme, but I know how I would want to be treated given the same situation.

At the point that it becomes necessary for me to share e-mails, I will gladly do so. I have kept a record of all the relevant interactions. At this point, I don't expect to get my money back...If you have a particular concern about the veracity of this, I'll share a couple of the e-mails from this past week. Just let me know. I also have the paypal record of the original purchase.

Enjoy the day-
Jim

should have been available without me asking for some additional proof. You cannot expect anyone to take ones word based on evidence-less information.

If you want to make a case provide the necessary information that you ordered a specific snake and did not receive it. I am not trying to pick on you, but when you post a warning about a person, it will become a permanent record at the BOI for others to see. In order to protect other potential buyers from having the same difficulties as you did, the more informationthat you provide , can only benefit you.

Personally, I think your out of luck not because of a statue of limitations, but unless their was some prior agreement, his argument could very easily be that you received exactly what you ordered! Its also possible that because of the length of time he could say that he did in fact send you what you ordered and you are the one trying to get your money back on a flimsy excuse. In either case, I am sure you realize that their are issues here that need addressing. ..........PS iam not your enemy! and I dont trash people !