New York man sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for selling counterfeit goods in Iowa

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa — A New York state man was sentenced Monday to 41 months in federal prison for selling counterfeit goods at a roving clearance sale in Iowa.

This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Yahya Jawad, 57, from Binghamton, New York, was sentenced following a Sept. 29 plea agreement to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods.

In his plea agreement, Jawad admitted that on Jan. 9, 2015, he sold counterfeit merchandise at a “Clearance Sale” in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. HSI special agents purchased three counterfeit items from Jawad, including a counterfeit pair of headphones that appeared to be “Beats Audio” headphones and two counterfeit luxury purses; one appeared to be a “Michael Kors” purse and the other a “Louis Vuitton” handbag. After confirming that these items were counterfeit, HSI special agents returned to the sale location and seized additional counterfeit items, including more headphones and purses, as well as other clothing items.

During this operation, HSI special agents seized more than $150,000 worth of counterfeit merchandise. Evidence given at the sentencing hearing also established that in December 2015, while on release pending sentencing, Jawad ran a similar “Liquidation Sale” in Topeka, Kansas. HSI special agents in Kansas ultimately conducted a search of this sale and seized more than $280,000 worth of additional counterfeit merchandise.

Following his prison sentence Jawad will serve three years’ supervised release and must pay a special assessment of $100 to the crime Victim’s Fund. There is no parole in the federal prison system.