New York Resident Indicted For Trafficking In Counterfeit Goods

1125 Chapline Street, Federal Building, Suite 3000 ● Wheeling, WV 26003
(304) 234-0100 ● Contact: Chris Zumpetta-Parr, Public Affairs Specialist

WHEELING, WEST VIRGINIA — A New York man has been indicted for allegedly bringing counterfeit goods to Wheeling to sell at a Christmas show last November.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that Xian Chen CHEN, age 37, of New York, was named in a 9-count Indictment charging him with “Trafficking in Counterfeit Goods.” It is alleged that on November 13, 2013, CHEN attempted to traffic in goods containing counterfeit marks, including goods purported to be from Beats Electronics, LLC, Chanel, Inc., Coach Services, Inc., Gucci America, Inc., Louis Vuitton Malletier, Michael Kors, LLC, The North Face Apparel Corp., Tiffany (NJ) LLC, and Tory Burch L.L.C. The marks are and were registered for those goods on the principal register of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the use of which being likely to cause confusion, mistake and to deceive.

CHEN faces up to 10 years in prison on each count. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is also seeking to forfeit all articles and property used to commit and facilitate the offense.

It was investigated by the Mountaineer Highway Interdiction Team (MHIT) and by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations. MHIT is comprised of officers and agents from the West Virginia State Police, the Ohio County Sheriff’s Department, the Wheeling Police Department, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. MHIT is a part of the Appalachia High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (AHIDTA) initiative and as a result receives federal funding to support its efforts.

This case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randolph J. Bernard.

An indictment is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.