New York Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Selling Counterfeit Merchandise

A man who sold counterfeit merchandise at a “Clearance Sale” located on 16^th Ave. S.W. in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, was sentenced today to more than three years in federal prison.

Yahya Jawad, age 57, from Binghamton, New York, received the prison term after a September 29, 2015, guilty plea to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods.

In a plea agreement, Jawad admitted that on January 9, 2015, he was selling counterfeit merchandise at a “Clearance Sale.”  Law enforcement officers purchased three counterfeit items from him including a pair of headphones that appeared to be “Beats Audio” headphones and two purses. One appeared to be a “Michael Kors” purse and the other a “Louis Vuitton” handbag.  After confirming that these items were counterfeit, law enforcement officers returned to the “Clearance Sale” and seized additional counterfeit items, including more headphones and purses, as well as other clothing items.  In total, law enforcement seized more than $150,000 worth of counterfeit merchandise.  Evidence at the sentencing hearing today also established that in December 2015, while on release pending sentencing, Jawad ran a similar “Liquidation Sale” in Topeka, Kansas.  Law enforcement in Kansas ultimately conducted a search of this sale and seized more than $280,000 worth of additional counterfeit merchandise. 

Jawad was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade.  Jawad was sentenced to 41 months’ imprisonment.  A special assessment of $100 was imposed.  He must also serve a three-year term of supervised release after the prison term.  There is no parole in the federal system.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt and was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security and the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. 

Court file information is available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov.  The case file number is 15-CR-83.

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