Man from Elgin Sold Counterfeit Items to Local Stores
Deputies in Kershaw County recently arrested a man from Elgin, South Carolina for trafficking counterfeit items.
65-year-old Frederick Bartlett was arrested on Wednesday, March 6th, after a warrant was signed for his arrest. Officers seized $342,000 worth of counterfeit goods from his home, as well as $1336 in cash, a 2003 Ford van, approximately 4,500 counterfeit Monster Energy heat transfer logos, 2,500 counterfeit Hollister heat transfer logos, 4,600 Harley Davidson counterfeit heat transfer logos, 2,000 counterfeit NCAA heat transfer logos from different colleges and universities, and a handful of assorted other fake heat transfer logos.
Among the fake trademarks were the following: Monster Energy, Hollister, Harley-Davidson, Nike, Browning, Dodge, Ford, Chevy and various NCAA teams.
Investigators also seized the machinery Bartlett used to create the fake items.
“He was putting Great Smokey Mountains, Pigeon Forge with the Browning symbol, which is a patented trademark, which is clearly illegal,” said Jamey Jones with the Kershaw County Sheriff’s Office.
The Tennessee Attorney General contacted South Carolina authorities after they noticed fake goods appearing in Bargain World in Gatlinburg. The office raided a home in Gatlinburg and found a huge stash of counterfeit clothing and sports memorabilia.
Investigators have asked anyone who bought goods from Bartlett to sell in retail outlets to come forward.
According to reports, Bartlett was heat pressing thousands of college and university logo tees, sweatshirts, and pants, as well as brand-name items.
“As you can see here the tags were cut, so he was buying them at a low, low cost,” said Jones.
“We were really surprised to find out it was in our backyard but it was products likely like ours,” said lead Motorclothes Consultant Trayci Brazell.
Harley Davidson recently reached out to their customers, informing them how to tell real Harley Davidson merchandise from counterfeit.
“The tag says Harley Davidson,” said Brazell. “On the tag, it will say manufactured by which licensee under license from Harley Davidson Motor Company.”
Bartlett is currently in the Kershaw County Detention Center pending a bond hearing. He was arrested for “trafficking in counterfeit items in excess of $50,000,” which is a very serious charge.
Counterfeit Laws in South Carolina
Counterfeiting is the creation and/or selling of fake or “replicated” goods, including currency, although it is primarily seen in regards to clothing brands, software and other tangible goods. This is considered to be a serious white-collar crime and investigators across the country are cracking down on the selling of fake goods.
South Carolina has intricate, complex legislation around fake goods. If arrested for counterfeiting goods, you could face several serious penalties. If the fake goods have a retail value of less than $2,000, this qualifies as a misdemeanor; however, anything more qualifies as a felony.
You could face fines of $20,000, jail time of up to 5 years, or both. According to South Carolina law, “A person who knowingly and willfully violates the provisions of this subsection with respect to goods or services having a retail sales value of fifty thousand dollars or more is guilty of the offense of trafficking in counterfeit marks. A person who knowingly and willfully commits the offense of trafficking as described in this subitem is guilty of a felony.”
The Strom Law Firm Can Help With Counterfeit and Trafficking Charges
The Strom Law Firm, LLC was founded in 1996 by former U.S. Attorney Pete Strom. Our Criminal Defense Attorneys aggressively fight trafficking and counterfeit cases, both on a state and federal level. Don’t wait until the verdict is in to contact us. The earlier you contact, the more we can help. By contacting us in the early stages of your case, we can more effectively defend you and help clear your name. We understand your financial and emotional well-being, as well as, your reputation is at stake. Contact the Criminal Defense Attorneys at the Strom Law Firm today for a free case evaluation. 803.252.4800.
