Rochester Man Sentenced for Selling Fake Christmas Ornaments

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Hakan Umsu, 32, of Rochester, N.Y., who was convicted of criminal copyright infringement involving Christmas ornaments that he was selling at kiosks in local malls, was sentenced to one year probation by U.S. District Court Judge Richard J. Arcara.  

            Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Fauzia K. Mattingly, who handled the case, stated that Umsu had obtained the ornaments from a company in China which were replicas of the copyright-protected holiday ornaments created by Rudolph & Me, Inc., a family-owned company located in Sarasota, FL. The defendant then sold the ornaments at kiosks in local malls during the retail holiday season. 

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge, James C. Spero.