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Richmond Man Sentenced To Five Years For Selling Counterfeit Clothing & Shoes.

RICHMOND, VA, May 27, 2008. -- A Richmond man was sentenced to five years and three months on federal charges stemming from the sale of counterfeiting clothing and shoes.

Luis M. Thomas, 51, was convicted of criminal conspiracy and money laudering for his role in selling the fake merchandise on February 22, 2008.

Thomas and his wife operated two stores in the greater Richmond area. The bogus merchandise included fake Nike shoes, Mitchell & Ness athletic wear, and phoney NBA and NFL jerseys. Thomas bought the knockoffs from suppliers in New York, sometimes making two or three trips a week to purchase the counterfeit items.

Chesterfield County authorities siezed thoudands of items of counterfeit merchandise with an estimated value of $1.2 million from the two stores, a storage facility, and the Thomases' home. Sewing machines were found in Thomases' home which were used to sew labels onto the offending items.

Charges were intially filed at the county level but later dropped when federal charges were brought. Federal authorities are now seeking the forfeiture of $600,000 in cash and a 2006 truck used in furtherance of the conspiracy.

The Thomases' attorney said his clients "had no idea that what they were doing could result in these kinds of criminal charges." However, Thomas was convicted of selling counterfeit clothing in February, 2001 and was sentenced to a $250 fine and a ten-day suspended jail term.