FRESNO, Calif. — Two Mexican nationals
made their initial appearance in federal court Wednesday on charges of
trafficking in counterfeit goods after U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents executed a
search warrant at a rural Fresno-area home, seizing more than 70,000 pirated
copies of music and movies.
Alberto Campos-Limon, 24, and Jose
Jeronimo-Jimenez, 32, both of Fresno, were taken into custody Tuesday by Fresno
HSI agents. They are charged in a criminal complaint with conspiracy; copyright
infringement; and trafficking in counterfeit labels. The illegal activities
allegedly occurred between Feb. 28 and April 24. Each offense carries a maximum
penalty of up to five years in prison.
A third suspect, Arnoldo Chavez-Mendoza,
50, a Mexican national who currently resides in Tulare, was arrested on state
charges of copyright infringement after agents conducting the enforcement
action observed him purchasing several hundred audio CDs from the two
defendants.
The suspects were taken into custody at
a rural Fresno-area residence where investigators discovered the bulk of the
counterfeit music and movie disks. During a search of the home, investigators
also found a variety of equipment commonly used to mass produce DVDs and CDs.
"Commercial piracy and product
counterfeiting undermine the U.S. economy, rob Americans of jobs, stifle
American innovation and promote other types of crime," said Clark Settles,
special agent in charge who oversees HSI Fresno. "Intellectual property
theft amounts to economic sabotage, which is why HSI will continue to
aggressively pursue product counterfeiters and those who sell counterfeit
products."
Tuesday’s enforcement action is the
culmination of a probe that began in February. According to the criminal
complaint in the case, during the ensuing investigation agents made multiple
undercover purchases of counterfeit DVDS, including films such as "Safe
House," "In Time," "Haywire" and "Red
Tails." Among the titles seized Tuesday at the residence were numerous
first run movies, including "Hunger Games" and "American
Reunion." All told, agents have seized more than 70,000 counterfeit DVDs
and CDs in connection with the investigation. Authorities estimate the retail
value of those disks at more than $900,000.
HSI received substantial assistance with
the investigation from the Fresno County Sheriff's Office, the Motion Picture
Association of America and the Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA).
"On behalf of the RIAA, I extend my
sincere gratitude to HSI in Fresno for their successful action this week
against local pirate distributors," said Brad Buckles, who oversees RIAA's
anti-piracy program. "Their efforts in bringing to justice those who are
active in the underground illegal market help protect the economic health of
area music retailers and the continuing flow of important tax revenue from
legitimate purchases. This kind of vigilance also helps music creators invest
in talented artists."
As the largest investigative arm of the
Department of Homeland Security, HSI plays a leading role in targeting criminal
organizations responsible for producing, smuggling and distributing counterfeit
products. HSI focuses not only on keeping counterfeit products off our streets,
but also on dismantling the criminal organizations behind such illicit
activity.
HSI manages the National Intellectual
Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) in Washington. The IPR Center
is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal
counterfeiting and piracy. As a task force, the IPR Center uses the expertise
of its 20 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate
enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through
this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's
health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters.
To report IP theft or to learn more
about the HSI-led IPR Center, visit IPRCenter.gov.
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