Back in April 2000 I was young and in need of some work. I was referred to a job by a relative of mine (I’ll call her Lindsay) who thought I would be perfect for the job. I was to “fix the computers and do the networking, and set up new computers and make sure things worked.” for LimoUSA, a Limo Company in Jamestown, NY.
When I arrived there I met Kevin M. Smith, a name that I didn’t realize would carry negative connotations alongside it in coming months. He told me what I would need to do, when he would need me, how much he would pay me, and that he would pay me in Cash. The hours seemed demanding and the pay at the time seemed very well, but I didn’t own a vehicle so I couldn’t meet his schedule. Kevin responded with “No problem.” and got his mechanic to provide me a loaner vehicle, a Black 1986 Pontiac Fiero GT.
So, I drove it away that night, worked every day as I could, organizing all the desks, computers, cables, phones, working on sharing software and making it load fast with Windows 98 computers for Desktop and one for a Server. They all were networked through a 10/100 switch, and they weren’t connected to the internet back in the days. I made a couple goals, such as taking their Telephone T1 and allocating an outbound line for shared internet through a software proxy on the server so that they could use online mapping software instead of the CD mapping software they had to share. The bossman, however, didn’t think that idea. It’s cool He was the boss.
So, weeks passed by and suddenly there was a commotion. It seemed that the offices of LimoUSA were operating a business on property zoned residential. Kevin’s main argument is that he was so close to the Airport that he was not bothering his neighbors and that he should be able to take the time and operate his business while the planning board rezones his property. That failed extravagantly, and suddenly news and media outlets wanted to come inside and we weren’t allowed out.
Long story short, a memorable employment was closed up and a staple on my resume for a short period of time until I got better jobs and it faded away.
Recently my memory was deciding to take a walk down this same lane and I was a bit interested to find information about what happened. This is what I have so far:
The first thing I went to was Google Maps to see what the property, if anything, looks like today. I had to navigate West Oak Hill road down past the airport until I found the property at 42.154N, 78.274W. The pool looked all green and the roof appeared to have some stitching on it, so I assumed the property was probably overpriced and nobody wanted it. It certainly wasn’t demolished by the city, so I checked OARS to discover who the owner of the property was.
Some google searching led me to some old addresses for LimoUSA, which was DBA’d at 3554 W Oak Hill Rd, Jamestown, NY 14701-9793. With that information I went to Chautauqua County Real Property Services and the owner listed was Amy L. Bromley. What caught my interest is that Ms. Bromley’s taxes were recorded paid since 1998 years before my employment! This was an awesome fact, knowing that this might’ve been the “wife” of Kevin M. Smith and until now knew of her existence but forgot her name.
Out of curiosity I googled up her name and only one relevant search led me to the Post-Journals Legal Briefs about a judgement granted to National Grid in the amount of $22,766.30 back on the 19th of April, 2017. That sounds about right if you have an electric bill for years that’s never paid. I’m assuming the debt was satisfied since the property taxes were caught up and paid on-time since 2015 without a hiccup.
So, now, we’ve established that the house is still up, still maintained, still owned by the family. Lets see if we can find any information on Kevin and what happened to LimoUSA since it’s demise. The power of google led me to an article from the Buffalo News dated 6 June, 2008 (local) about Mr. Kevin M. Smith. The article states that he was beaten and stabbed on Buffalo’s West Side by Dennis R. Washington, and that the stabbing had “no apparent connection to the federal case.” It’s Unfortunate that he was stabbed to death, and subsequent searching discovered his grave in Jamestown, NY, but a Federal Case?…
Reading the article provided me with the information that led me to understand why he ran his business the way he did. From his 1994 conviction of transporting 50 pounds of marijuana in a limo to his doing his wife’s taxes and hiding money in all that, it seems I was employed by a criminal.
I have still yet to find more information about issues that would’ve arisen during my employment.
- The only other things I can find is a 1999 South Carolina Order Seting Rule to Show Cause Hearing, which is tied to LimoUSA,
- A September 13, 2010 Memorandum Opinion and Order from North Carolina for Kevin M. Smith, dba K.M.J. International, which has the name but I don’t think ties to anything related.
In looking for relatives I was able to get an idea that Amy L. Bromley, the “wife”, still pays the property taxes on Oak Hill Road but chooses to live at 9147 El Azul Cir, Fountain Valley, CA, 92708-4403 since 2015.
I’m also assuming that Kevin M. Smith owned some properties around Chautauqua County, and on searching Real Property Services came across a property owned by Kevin M. Smith and Andrea J Hojnacki-Smith at 7113 Hall Road, Cassadaga, NY 14718. This has tax records back to 2005 and I’m assuming this could be one of his daughters. Andrea seems to work as a teacher at Dunkirk Schools, and does a cookie call-out every year that makes good, wholesome news (2020, 2019). She made $69k in 2017 as a teacher, which seems like a good salary to have when living on 61 Acres in Cassadaga.
Otherwise, LimoUSA searches are far and few, which segues into the “To Be Continued” category…