USA Baby owners to pay $400,000, restitution

4/20/2006

The owners of three USA Baby stores, including one in Sylvania, were ordered yesterday to pay $400,000 in civil penalties and $13,800 restitution for providing substandard customer service and violating state consumer protection laws.

An order was issued in Lucas County Court of Common Pleas against the owners, including Baby Bucks Inc. of Sylvania, Sunshiny Days Inc. of Perrysburg Township, James Lankey of Perrysburg Township, and Neo Baby Inc. of Westlake, Ohio.

Mr. Lankey had operated USA Baby stores in Westlake, Cuyahoga Falls, Sylvania, and Powell, Ohio, which closed before Attorney General Jim Petro fi led the lawsuit in Lucas County last year. The attorney general s offi ce received 120 complaints

about USA Baby, it said.

The Sylvania store was bought this year by Midwest Baby Group of Westlake.