JRPowers --- Deceived with lies Pleasanton, California

September 1st, 2009 Background: The Executive Director at John Robert Powers (JRP)-Pleasanton, California, Ms. Devin Sledge called me on May 13th, 2009 and informed me that JRP-Pleasanton; California is recruiting for infants and toddlers for fit modeling opportunities. Ms. Sledge was interested in meeting my son and asked me to bring him in on May 14th, 2009 for an 11:30 am appointment. My son and I met with Ms. Sledge at JRP-Pleasanton office on May 14th, 2009. Ms. Sledge said he is so cute and she wanted to work with him. She then asked, So, you agree to a photo take on Sunday? I did not have a chance to answer her first question. She then asked the second question, So, have you talked to your wife? I told her no, I did not have a chance to talk to my wife about this matter, and she said, call her. She left the room for perhaps five to ten minutes while I was trying to contact my wife. Ms. Sledge returned to the room and stated that $600.00 was a very good investment and that my two and half year old son will make it back in no time because the fit modeling jobs are in high demand in the San Francisco Bay area. On May 14, 2009, Ms. Sledge had me sign a half page paper contract. She then handed me two other pieces of paper. I asked her what these two pages were for. She said, these two pages were saying pretty much what she told me..that I dont need to worry about them. Like a fool, I handed her my credit card so she could charged $600.00. I then said, ok, thank you. Ms. Sledge sounded convincing and legitimate. In addition, Ms. Sledge assured me that JRP Pleasanton will create a Website for the new infants and toddlers division. It will be up and running in a month."Dont you worry!" My wife and I were skeptical but agreed to the Sunday (May 17th, 2009) photo shoot appointment. After the photo shoot, Ms. Sledge continue to reassure me that "fit modeling" jobs are in high demands in the San Francisco Bay area. She introduced my son and I to Mr. Allen Larson, the President of the JRP Pleasanton. Then she told me to come to a seminar that they were having on May 21, 2009 at 7:00 pm. When I arrived at the JRP Pleasanton office, I was seated for about 10-15 minutes then the President of JRP-Pleasanton; Mr. Allen Larson came out from the office near the main entrance. He told me to relaxthe meeting will be just you and I. I went expecting to attend a seminar but instead was extended a one on one meeting with Mr. Larson. As Mr. Larson and I sat down, he talked about his family and specifically his new baby. I told him that I love my boy very much. I am willing to do everything for him. I also told him that my son use to work for Dynasty Modeling Agency in Massachusetts and whatever he made, my wife and I will match and apply it toward his Education Account. Mr. Larson said that is great of what my wife and I are doing for our son as not many parents would do that for their children. Mr. Larson told me that he was going to upload the pictures of my son and pick a few best pictures and send them to the agents. He specifically said, this is "fit modeling" that my son would put on clothes that perfectly fit him for print works. Mr. Larson kept ensuring me that the "fit modeling" jobs are in demands in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also added that If he (Mr. Allen Larson) was not successful in sending my son's pictures to the agents; he will then let me forward my sons pictures to the agents directly to see if I have better luck. He then asked me, if my son has a Coogan Account because the State of California requires all the kids who work in the Entertainment Industry have a Coogan Account. I told Mr. Larson that I will look into it. Three months had passed and I did not hear anything from either Mr. Larson or Ms. Sledge. On August 1, 2009, I decided to send Ms, Sledge an email and on August 3rd, 2009, I received an email from Ms. Navarro who is the photo Directorat JRP Pleasanton stating that: My name is Windy Navarro and I am the photo director at JRP Pleasanton. Your email was I believe directed to Ms. Devin Sledge who firstly, no longer works here so I will direct your question. To answer your question, there is no link that will be posted directing the public to the toddler/childrens division. The reason being is that it is unsafe to have photos on our website with our clients 18 years and under. We are not an agency, therefore we handle the networking and our website differently. What I can do, and what Ive done with Elite Photo Packages ($1250) is send personal emails to agents containing no more then 3 shots of our clients. Because you paid for a Basic Photo Package ($600) it would not normally include JRP networking. I can however, because of the miscommunication, send Sebastians photos to a few agents and see if I get a response. Ive also included a document containing the emails of top agencies in San Francisco that you can email or print and send your son'ss photos too as well. I apologize the miscommunication. Im sorry that you drove the distance that you did... My solution is this... I can network your son to the agents which we work with (Stars, City, Look and Boom) who all are in San Francisco and hopefully they will like him enough to see you in their office to offer representation... If I dont hear back, I have sent you the same info and you are welcome to follow up with them if needed. There will be no link on our website... again, for the safety of our clients under the age of 18 as we are not an agency ourselves. If Devin promised this, she was incorrect. She has left our company for reasons of this nature. For Children under 4 year old, we offer professional photographs and that is what the contract reads, and that is what you received. If you want me to network your son's photos, please send me the 3 best and I will submit them. If that is not what you wish to do, then I apologize the for misunderstanding, but the contract is quite clear. There is nothing more I can offer to you in terms of your sons Photo contract, as you did received a photo shoot and a CD with pictures as promised on the contract. Thank you, Windy Navarro

Complaint: My complaint is that I strongly believe that John Robert Powers and Ms. Sledge have deceived with lies that misrepresented the "intentions" of the company to my family. I paid $600.00 for the photo shoot along with the expectations that there would be opportunities for my son to be part of the "new" infants and toddlers division as well as other modeling/acting opportunities. Instead, there does not appear to be any "nfants and toddlers" division because the JRPowers is not recruiting kids under the age of four for such a division. Furthermore, Ms. Navarro stated that it is "unsafe to have photos on our website with our clients 18 years and under." But yet there are photos of kids under the age of 18 years that are posted on the JRPowers website. It seems that no one at the JRPowers office in Pleasanton has been honest with me. Ultimately, statements from employees at the JRPowers office in Pleasanton are to deceive people with lies so they would pay for the photo shoot. Mr. Larson and Ms. Sledge verbally indicated and set expectations that based on the photos that were taken, that JRP would take ownership and responsibility in selecting photos and sending it to various agencies for potential opportunities for my son. Based on the email from Ms. Navarro dated 8/3/09, the $600.00 only covered the photos which I acknowledge that I received but was not informed that it was only for the photo shoot. Based on Ms. Navarros acknowledgement that Ms. Sledge may have made verbal promises and that she is no longer with the company, I believe I am entitled to some sort of refund and have Ms. Sledge or Mr. Larson return the 8 x 10 photo of my son that is in Ms. Sledge's possession back to me.

September 1st, 2009 Background: The Executive Director at John Robert Powers (JRP)-Pleasanton, California, Ms. Devin Sledge called me on May 13th, 2009 and informed me that JRP-Pleasanton; California is recruiting for infants and toddlers for fit modeling opportunities. Ms. Sledge was interested in meeting my son and asked me to bring him in on May 14th, 2009 for an 11:30 am appointment. My son and I met with Ms. Sledge at JRP-Pleasanton office on May 14th, 2009. Ms. Sledge said he is so cute and she wanted to work with him. She then asked, So, you agree to a photo take on Sunday? I did not have a chance to answer her first question. She then asked the second question, So, have you talked to your wife? I told her no, I did not have a chance to talk to my wife about this matter, and she said, call her. She left the room for perhaps five to ten minutes while I was trying to contact my wife. Ms. Sledge returned to the room and stated that $600.00 was a very good investment and that my two and half year old son will make it back in no time because the fit modeling jobs are in high demand in the San Francisco Bay area. On May 14, 2009, Ms. Sledge had me sign a half pagepaper contract. She then handed me two other pieces of paper. I asked her what these two pages were for. She said, these two pages were saying pretty much what she told me..that I dont need to worry about them. Like a fool, I handed her my Visa card so she could charged$600.00. I then said, ok, thank you. Ms. Sledge sounded convincing and legitimate. In addition, Ms. Sledge assured me that JRP Pleasanton will create a Website for the new infants and toddlers division. It will be up and running in a month."Dont you worry!" My wife and I were skeptical but agreed to the Sunday (May 17th, 2009) photo shoot appointment. After the photo shoot, Ms. Sledge continue to reassure me that "fit modeling" jobs are in high demands in the San Francisco Bay area. She introduced my son and I to Mr. Allen Larson, the President of the JRP Pleasanton. Then she told me to come to a seminar that they were having on May 21, 2009 at 7:00 pm. When I arrived at the JRP Pleasanton office, I was seated for about 10-15 minutes then the President of JRP-Pleasanton; Mr. Allen Larson came out from the office near the main entrance. He told me to relaxthe meeting will be just you and I. I went expecting to attend a seminar but instead was extended a one on one meeting with Mr. Larson. As Mr. Larson and I sat down, he talked about his family and specifically his new baby. I told him that I love my boy very much. I am willing to do everything for him. I also told him that my son use to work for Dynasty Modeling Agency in Massachusetts and whatever he made, my wife and I will match and apply it toward his Education Account. Mr. Larson said that is great of what my wife and I are doing for our son as not many parents would do that for their children. Mr. Larson told me that he was going to upload the pictures of my son and pick a few best pictures and send them to the agents. He specifically said, this is "fit modeling" that my son would put on clothes that perfectly fit him for print works. Mr. Larson kept ensuring me that the "fit modeling" jobs are in demands in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also added that If he (Mr. Allen Larson) was not successful in sending my son's pictures to the agents; he will then let me forward my sons pictures to the agents directly to see if I have better luck. He then asked me, if my son has a Coogan Account because the State of California requires all the kids who work in the Entertainment Industry have a Coogan Account. I told Mr. Larson that I will look into it. Three months had passed and I did not hear anything from either Mr. Larson or Ms. Sledge. On August 1, 2009, I decided to send Ms, Sledge an email and on August 3rd, 2009, I received an email from Ms. Navarro who is the photo Directorat JRP Pleasanton stating that: My name is Windy Navarro and I am the photo director at JRP Pleasanton. Your email was I believe directed to Ms. Devin Sledge who firstly, no longer works here so I will direct your question. To answer your question, there is no link that will be posted directing the public to the toddler/childrens division. The reason being is that it is unsafe to have photos on our website with our clients 18 years and under. We are not an agency, therefore we handle the networking and our website differently. What I can do, and what Ive done with Elite Photo Packages ($1250) is send personal emails to agents containing no more then 3 shots of our clients. Because you paid for a Basic Photo Package ($600) it would not normally include JRP networking. I can however, because of the miscommunication, send Sebastians photos to a few agents and see if I get a response. Ive also included a document containing the emails of top agencies in San Francisco that you can email or print and send your son's photos too as well. I apologize the miscommunication. Windy Navarro School/Photo Director 925) 460-8205 Im sorry that you drove the distance that you did... My solution is this... I can network your son to the agents which we work with (Stars, City, Look and Boom) who all are in San Francisco and hopefully they will like him enough to see you in their office to offer representation... If I dont hear back, I have sent you the same info and you are welcome to follow up with them if needed. There will be no link on our website... again, for the safety of our clients under the age of 18 as we are not an agency ourselves. If Devin promised this, she was incorrect. She has left our company for reasons of this nature. For Children under 4 year old, we offer professional photographs and that is what the contract reads, and that is what you received. If you want me to network your son's photos, please send me the 3 best and I will submit them. If that is not what you wish to do, then I apologize the for misunderstanding, but the contract is quite clear. There is nothing more I can offer to you in terms of your son's Photo contract, as you did received a photo shoot and a CD with pictures as promised on the contract. Thank you, Windy Navarro Complaint: My complaint is that I strongly believe that John Robert Powers and Ms. Sledge have deceived with lies that misrepresented the "intentions" of the company to my family. I paid $600.00 for the photo shoot along with the expectations that there would be opportunities for my son to be part of the "new" infants and toddlers division as well as other modeling/acting opportunities. Instead, there does not appear to be any "nfants and toddlers" division because the JRPowers is not recruiting kids under the age of four for such a division. Furthermore, Ms. Navarro stated that it is "unsafe to have photos on our website with our clients 18 years and under." But yet there are photos of kids under the age of 18 years that are posted on the JRPowers website. It seems that no one at the JRPowers office in Pleasanton has been honest with me. Ultimately, statements from employees at the JRPowers office in Pleasanton are to deceive people with lies so they would pay for the photo shoot. Mr. Larson and Ms. Sledge verbally indicated and set expectations that based on the photos that were taken, that JRP would take ownership and responsibility in selecting photos and sending it to various agencies for potential opportunities for my son. Based on the email from Ms. Navarro dated 8/3/09, the $600.00 only covered the photos which I acknowledge that I received but was not informed that it was only for the photo shoot. Based on Ms. Navarros acknowledgement that Ms. Sledge may have made verbal promises and that she is no longer with the company, I believe I am entitled to some sort of refund and have Ms. Sledge or Mr. Larson return the 8 x 10 photo of my son that is in Ms. Sledge's possession back to me.

September 1st, 2009 Background: The Executive Director at John Robert Powers (JRP)-Pleasanton, California, Ms. Devin Sledge called me on May 13th, 2009 and informed me that JRP-Pleasanton; California is recruiting for infants and toddlers for fit modeling opportunities. Ms. Sledge was interested in meeting my son and asked me to bring him in on May 14th, 2009 for an 11:30 am appointment. My son and I met with Ms. Sledge at JRP-Pleasanton office on May 14th, 2009. Ms. Sledge said he is so cute and she wanted to work with him. She then asked, So, you agree to a photo take on Sunday? I did not have a chance to answer her first question. She then asked the second question, So, have you talked to your wife? I told her no, I did not have a chance to talk to my wife about this matter, and she said, call her. She left the room for perhaps five to ten minutes while I was trying to contact my wife. Ms. Sledge returned to the room and stated that $600.00 was a very good investment and that my two and half year old son will make it back in no time because the fit modeling jobs are in high demand in the San Francisco Bay area. On May 14, 2009, Ms. Sledge had me sign a half page paper contract. She then handed me two other pieces of paper. I asked her what these two pages were for. She said, these two pages were saying pretty much what she told me..that I dont need to worry about them. Like a fool, I handed her my Visa card so she could charged $600.00. I then said, ok, thank you. Ms. Sledge sounded convincing and legitimate. In addition, Ms. Sledge assured me that JRP Pleasanton will create a Website for the new infants and toddlers division. It will be up and running in a month."Dont you worry!" My wife and I were skeptical but agreed to the Sunday (May 17th, 2009) photo shoot appointment. After the photo shoot, Ms. Sledge continue to reassure me that "fit modeling" jobs are in high demands in the San Francisco Bay area. She introduced my son and I to Mr. Allen Larson, the President of the JRP Pleasanton. Then she told me to come to a seminar that they were having on May 21, 2009 at 7:00 pm. When I arrived at the JRP Pleasanton office, I was seated for about 10-15 minutes then the President of JRP-Pleasanton; Mr. Allen Larson came out from the office near the main entrance. He told me to relaxthe meeting will be just you and I. I went expecting to attend a seminar but instead was extended a one on one meeting with Mr. Larson. As Mr. Larson and I sat down, he talked about his family and specifically his new baby. I told him that I love my boy very much. I am willing to do everything for him. I also told him that my son use to work for Dynasty Modeling Agency in Massachusetts and whatever he made, my wife and I will match and apply it toward his Education Account. Mr. Larson said that is great of what my wife and I are doing for our son as not many parents would do that for their children. Mr. Larson told me that he was going to upload the pictures of my son and pick a few best pictures and send them to the agents. He specifically said, this is "fit modeling" that my son would put on clothes that perfectly fit him for print works. Mr. Larson kept ensuring me that the "fit modeling" jobs are in demands in the San Francisco Bay Area. He also added that If he (Mr. Allen Larson) was not successful in sending my son's pictures to the agents; he will then let me forward my sons pictures to the agents directly to see if I have better luck. He then asked me, if my son has a Coogan Account because the State of California requires all the kids who work in the Entertainment Industry have a Coogan Account. I told Mr. Larson that I will look into it. Three months had passed and I did not hear anything from either Mr. Larson or Ms. Sledge. On August 1, 2009, I decided to send Ms, Sledge an email and on August 3rd, 2009, I received an email from Ms. Navarro who is the photo Directorat JRP Pleasanton stating that: My name is Windy Navarro and I am the photo director at JRP Pleasanton. Your email was I believe directed to Ms. Devin Sledge who firstly, no longer works here so I will direct your question. To answer your question, there is no link that will be posted directing the public to the toddler/childrens division. The reason being is that it is unsafe to have photos on our website with our clients 18 years and under. We are not an agency, therefore we handle the networking and our website differently. What I can do, and what Ive done with Elite Photo Packages ($1250) is send personal emails to agents containing no more then 3 shots of our clients. Because you paid for a Basic Photo Package ($600) it would not normally include JRP networking. I can however, because of the miscommunication, send your son's photos to a few agents and see if I get a response. Ive also included a document containing the emails of top agencies in San Francisco that you can email or print and send your son's photos too as well. I apologize the miscommunication. I will let you know at the following number if I hear back from the agents about your son. Windy Navarro School/Photo Director (925) 460-8205 Im sorry that you drove the distance that you did... My solution is this... I can network your son to the agents which we work with (Stars, City, Look and Boom) who all are in San Francisco and hopefully they will like him enough to see you in their office to offer representation... If I dont hear back, I have sent you the same info and you are welcome to follow up with them if needed. There will be no link on our website... again, for the safety of our clients under the age of 18 as we are not an agency ourselves. If Devin promised this, she was incorrect. She has left our company for reasons of this nature. For Children under 4 year old, we offer professional photographs and that is what the contract reads, and that is what you received. If you want me to network your son's photos, please send me the 3 best and I will submit them. If that is not what you wish to do, then I apologize the for misunderstanding, but the contract is quite clear. There is nothing more I can offer to you in terms of your son's Photo contract, as you did received a photo shoot and a CD with pictures as promised on the contract. Thank you, Windy Navarro

Complaint: My complaint is that I strongly believe that John Robert Powers and Ms. Sledge have deceived with lies that misrepresented the "intentions" of the company to my family. I paid $600.00 for the photo shoot along with the expectations that there would be opportunities for my son to be part of the "new" infants and toddlers division as well as other modeling/acting opportunities. Instead, there does not appear to be any "infants and toddlers" division because the JRPowers is not recruiting kids under the age of four for such a division. Furthermore, Ms. Navarro stated that it is "unsafe to have photos on our website with our clients 18 years and under." But yet there are photos of kids under the age of 18 years that are posted on the JRPowers website. It seems that no one at the JRPowers office in Pleasanton has been honest with me. Ultimately, statements from employees at the JRPowers office in Pleasanton are to deceive people with lies so they would pay for the photo shoot. Mr. Larson and Ms. Sledge verbally indicated and set expectations that based on the photos that were taken, that JRP would take ownership and responsibility in selecting photos and sending it to various agencies for potential opportunities for my son. Based on the email from Ms. Navarro dated 8/3/09, the $600.00 only covered the photos which I acknowledge that I received but was not informed that it was only for the photo shoot. Based on Ms. Navarros acknowledgement that Ms. Sledge may have made verbal promises and that she is no longer with the company, I believe I am entitled to some sort of refund and have Ms. Sledge or Mr. Larson return the 8 x 10 photo of my son that is in Ms. Sledge's possession back to me.