A Centralia man is accused of running a phony chrome plating business designed to scam unsuspecting customers out of their auto parts, while never completing paid-for services.
According to prosecutors, Donald L. Meth Jr., 62, never even had a Centralia business license.
Meth faces one count of first-degree theft, a Class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and $20,000 in fines.
Meth made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday in response to a summons. A judge issued a $10,000 unsecured appearance bond, allowing Meth to remain out of custody pending a resolution to the case.
As part of his release conditions, Meth is prohibited from contacting any of the alleged victims.
“I don’t even know who the victims are,” Meth said during the hearing.
Senior Deputy Prosecutor Scott Jackson responded by saying, “Mr. Meth is quite aware that he’s been contacted by Centralia police numerous times.”
According to a probable cause affidavit, police began investigating Meth in November 2025 after a mechanic reported that he’d given Meth a bumper to be re-chromed. The mechanic alleged that Meth not only failed to complete the work, he “refused to return the bumper.”
When the investigating officer reached out to Meth, Meth allegedly got angry. Meth then called the mechanic — who was with the officer — and told him to come pick up the bumper.
The mechanic later reported that, upon his visit to Meth’s property, Meth allegedly told the man he would never get his bumper back and told him to leave.
Over the next seven months, Centralia police and the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office reviewed at least six additional complaints from customers who said they’d been scammed out of both their money and their parts.
One man said he’d paid Meth $4,225.97 to chrome 15 pieces for his classic car. Meth allegedly refused to return the parts and began ignoring the victim’s calls.
Another man said he’d spent months waiting for Meth to repair some parts. Meth allegedly “threatened him and refused to return the parts,” according to the affidavit.
Meth allegedly told one customer that he’d lost his bumper — after accepting $1,500 to re-chrome it.
Perhaps the most damning allegation came from the owner of a classic boat restoration company who reportedly said his company and another individual had sent Meth payments and deposits for a variety of chrome plating services.
According to the affidavit, the payments totaled over $28,000.
“Despite repeated assurances of job completion, Donald Meth failed to deliver the contracted work, misrepresented the status of the jobs, and demanded additional payments under false pretenses,” the affidavit said.
In the end, Meth allegedly failed to return 43 parts.
Prosecutors began to consider criminal charges when they learned Meth had never obtained a license for his purported business, known as both "American Plating" and "American Chrome."
According to the affidavit, Centralia city officials reported that Meth had been denied his business license in January 2025 “because he was not in compliance with a Department of Ecology administrative order.” Meth reportedly never attained compliance.
“The State recognizes that there is a difference between poor business practices and outright theft by means of deception,” the affidavit said. “The State contends that this case is over the line. There are multiple victims, over a period exceeding a year.”
Prosecutors called Meth’s operation “nothing more than a scam to take money and deprive people of valuable property.”
Meth’s next court date is scheduled for July 23.
