United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner
Eastern District of California
Counterfeit Dvd/Cd Network Disrupted In Fresno County
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Lauren Horwood |
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November 17, 2011 |
PHONE: (916) 554-2706 |
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www.usdoj.gov/usao/cae |
usacae.edcapress@usdoj.gov |
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Docket #: |
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FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned two separate indictments today charging four people in Fresno County with trafficking in counterfeit movie and music DVDs and CDs. Alejandro Ortiz-Hernandez, 30, Lauro Perez-Perez, 25, and Maria del Pilar Perez-Perez, 23, all of Mexico, were charged in one case with conspiracy and trafficking in counterfeit labels and aiding and abetting. Ruben Perez-Perez, 25, of Mexico, is charged in another case with trafficking in counterfeit labels. All four defendants are charged with avoiding inspection or examination by U.S. immigration officers. Lauro Perez-Perez, Maria del Pilar Perez-Perez, and Ruben Perez-Perez will be arraigned by U.S. Magistrate Judge Gary S. Austin on November 18, 2011, at 1:30 p.m. Ortiz-Hernandez remains at large and is wanted by authorities.
According to court documents, in October 2011, Ortiz-Hernandez, Maria del Pilar Perez-Perez, and Ruben Perez-Perez trafficked in and sold counterfeit movie and music DVDs and CDs exhibiting counterfeit labels and packaging. On October 27, 2011, Ortiz-Hernandez, Lauro Perez-Perez, and Maria del Pilar Perez-Perez also possessed counterfeit movie and music DVDs and CDs, as well as equipment for manufacturing the items, such as multi-drive DVD burners, hundreds of blank DVDs and CDs, and label and packaging material. Approximately 10,000 counterfeit movie and music DVDs and CDs were seized in connection with the cases.
These cases are the product of an extensive investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Assistant U.S. Attorney Ian Garriques is prosecuting the cases.
If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.
The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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