From Cathy Locke:
The U.S. Department of Justice has announced sentences and a guilty plea in three cases involving trafficking in counterfeit goods.
Sunshine Pascual, 37, of San Francisco has been sentenced to three years of probation for trafficking in counterfeit goods at the Galt Flea Market.
Pascual pleaded guilty in April to selling counterfeit items mimicking merchandise from Chanel, Coach, Gucci, Abercrombie & Fitch and others. Had they been the real brands, their value would have totaled more than $200,000, according to a news release issued Friday by U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner.
This case and two others are the product of a joint investigation by the U.S. Secret Service, Placer County Sheriff's Office, IRS-Criminal Investigation, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Galt Police Department, Sacramento County Sheriff's Office and Sacramento Police Department. The trademark holders cooperated with the agencies in the investigations.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Robin Taylor, who is prosecuting the case, another defendant from the Galt Flea Market, Eric Xu, 38, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to selling counterfeit handbags, wallets and other merchandise bearing the trademarks of Gucci, Coach, Chanel, Prada and Dolce & Gabbana. He faces a possible sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $2 million or both. The counterfeit items are also subject to forfeiture.
Michelle Bunfill, 48, of Loomis was sentenced Monday to three years of probation and 10 months of home detention for selling counterfeit handbags, wallets, sunglasses and other merchandise bearing the trademarks of Gucci, Coach, Prada, Burberry, Kate Spade, Chanel and others.
"The counterfeiting problem has become a global concern and presents social and safety problems that adversely affect global and local economies," Wagner said in the news release.
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