Summerville Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Trafficking Counterfeit Goods
Friday, November 17, 2023
For Immediate Release – U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of South Carolina
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Raynard Smith, 42, and Lanard Smith, 42, of Summerville, were each sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty to crimes involving the selling of counterfeit goods.
Evidence presented to the Court showed that both men operated store fronts and sold merchandise, to include sports jerseys, that had been imported from countries such as China, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Germany, Italy, and Taiwan. Both men knew that the goods they were purchasing and importing from these countries were counterfeit. Both men each had a prior felony conviction from 2008, which also stemmed from the trafficking of counterfeit goods.
“I commend the hard work of the special agents and officers in pursuing this case and bringing these fraudsters to justice,” said Ronnie Martinez, Special Agent in Charge for HSI Charlotte, which covers North and South Carolina. “HSI Charlotte is committed to working with our law enforcement and private industry partners to aggressively investigate trademark counterfeiting to protect consumers and ensure a level playing field for legitimate businesses.”
“Counterfeit goods pose a serious threat not only to businesses but also to consumer safety,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of South Carolina Adair F. Boroughs. “Our office along with our federal partners take these crimes seriously and will go after those who commit illicit activities that impact our marketplace. “
United States District Judge David C. Norton sentenced both Raynard Smith and Lanard Smith to one year and one day imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. There is no parole in the federal system. Lanard Smith was ordered to pay $130,341.99 in restitution and Raynard Smith was ordered to pay $14,992.17 in restitution.
This case was investigated by the Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Bower is prosecuting the case.
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Veronica Hill, Public Affairs Specialist, [email protected], (803) 929-3000