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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem issued a Cease and Desist Order against Adrian Scott Williams, doing business as Spotlight Clothing & Accessories in Jamestown and as New Millenium Productions in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, for alleged violations of North Dakota’s consumer fraud laws involving counterfeit goods, and for violating state business registration laws.
“It is illegal to sell counterfeit goods under North Dakota law and these violations may result in both criminal and civil penalties,” Stenehjem said. “If convicted, this individual faces imprisonment up to one year, or a fine of $2,000, or both, as well as civil penalties up to $5,000 per sale.”
After receiving information that Williams was selling counterfeit merchandise in his Jamestown retail store and distributing advertising in the area claiming that the merchandise was brand name merchandise, the Consumer Protection Division initiated an investigation of the alleged misrepresentations in the advertisements and coordinated with local law enforcement.
It is a criminal offense to sell goods containing a counterfeit trademark or to represent that those goods are genuine. The division coordinated its consumer fraud investigation with the local law enforcement investigation. When the Jamestown police department executed a search warrant, officers found numerous items that appeared to have counterfeit brand marks. The criminal case is pending with the Jamestown Police Department.
The consumer protection division also determined that Williams has been operating his business since November 2012, but had not registered the business name with the Secretary of State, as required by law.
According to Parrell Grossman, director of the Consumer Protection Division, consumers should be wary when name brand goods are being sold at prices much less than the usual retail price. “These goods are inexpensive because they are made of cheap materials, not because they are a bargain. Counterfeit goods hurt the consumer market because it makes the genuine articles more expensive,” said Grossman.