A Southern California man was sentenced to eight years in state prison for illegally importing counterfeit Disney merchandise from China and selling it over the Internet.
Larry James Allred, 58, pleaded guilty to a court offer of one felony count of trademark infringement, according to a statement from the Orange County district attorney’s office.
Prosecutors said Allred, had two previous strikes: a 1975 rape conviction and a 1978 conviction for rape and kidnapping.
As part of his sentence, Allred will also have to pay $201,000 in restitution, prosecutors said.
His partner in crime, Robert Edward Smyrak, 54, of Anaheim was sentenced to one year in jail, three years probation and was ordered to pay restitution after he pleaded guilty in 2011 to one felony count of trademark infringement.
Between January 2010 and April 2011, prosecutors said, the men sent genuine Disney collectible pins to a Chinese manufacturer to be replicated and then sold the merchandise online in bulk.
It is reported they sold almost 1 million counterfeit items, often for less than $1 per pin.
In 2011, the men were caught when Customs officials opened a parcel at LAX addressed to Smyrak that contained more than 150 pounds of counterfeit pins. They were arrested by Anaheim police, and at the time, were in possession of more than 91,000 counterfeit pins.
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Maybe he shouldn’t have been a kidnapping, multiple account rapist, then it wouldn’t be so harsh. No sympathy for this piece of trash.
Here, here, msmrook.
And sending Disney pins TO China, where they will be used to make millions of fake pins for years to come? This is even bigger than fake pin *resellers* on ebay. This isn’t about getting a deal. This man deserves jail time & I hope this sends a message.
There is a difference between finding a “deal” at the flea market and buying FAKE ones. Its not right to trade a fake one (especially if you know it fake) to somebody who truly did spend the money on a genuine one. I buy ones that Disney puts on sale for my kids to trade. Right now they have a couple for less than $5.
He is a rapist x 2 and a kidnapper. I’m glad something got him locked up and off the streets. He should have been in jail to begin with. Thanks Mickey!
It is only harsh thanks to California’s 3 strikes and you’re out law. He has 2 previous strikes as they mention, this was the 3rd…done!
I think that is a bit harsh. I used to like finding Disney pins at the flea market so I could trade them at Disney. I couldn’t afford expensive $12 pins.