Police: Beware of salespeople selling ‘inedible’ meat

GRANT TWP. — The Oceana County Sheriff’s Office was contacted by a local resident who claims she was swindled by a door-to-door salesman Sunday, Aug. 23, into buying over $300 worth of inedible meat.

The salesman visited the woman’s home located in the 2500 block of West Cleveland Road near New Era, according to the police report.

The salesman was selling steaks, burger and chicken from Midwest Cattle Exchange. He told the victim he had just left one of her neighbors’ homes and had only a few boxes of meat left and wanted to sell them at a loss, so that he could win a prize, the report stated. The salesman, who was driving a white truck, said his name was Les Hollon.

The salesman also had a child with him who he claimed was his son and that his wife was also in the vehicle. After listening to his sales pitch, the victim agreed to purchase $305 worth of meat, using her credit card, the report states.

After the salesman left, the victim contacted a neighbor and asked if they had purchased any of the meat. The neighbor indicated that they had, but had also performed a little Internet search on Midwest Cattle Exchange and found many complaints about the quality of meat. The salesperson said it was fresh, prime cut meat, but when the meat was cut it was “tough, tasteless, discolored and inedible,” the report states.

The victim contacted her credit card company and told representatives to stop payment on the charge, but was told it may be too late to stop the transaction, the report states.

Midwest Cattle Exchange’s address is listed as 8485 W. Washington St., Indianapolis.

The deputy who responded to the complaint checked on Midwest Cattle Exchange and found many reported problems with the company, and it is believed that the company has moved to West Michigan to set up shop.