36° L/SNOW, 'Purse Guy' gets two years in prison
Last Modified: Friday, August 29, 2008 at 1:13 a.m.
BIRMINGHAM - U.S. District Court Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced a Florence man to 24 months in prison and ordered him to pay $136,089 in restitution Thursday for selling counterfeit purses and other goods.
Dennis Oakley, 53, owner of two stores in the Shoals known as "The Purse Guy," pleaded guilty in July 2007 to three counts of trademark infringement for selling trademarked purses, wallets, jewelry, sunglasses and footwear that were counterfeits.
Federal officials contend Oakley continued to sell the counterfeit products and was indicted in February on additional trademark infringement charges. He pleaded guilty in April to three charges of trademark infringement and one count of committing an offense while on release.
He is free on bond and will report to prison Sept. 25.
"Oakley did not learn from his first prosecution. Prison will help reinforce our message that selling counterfeit trademarked handbags devalues the brand reputation of these luxury goods (and that) manufacturers and federal authorities will protect their trademarks," U.S. Attorney Alice Martin said in a news release.
The investigation into the illegal sales was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and local police agencies.
Michael A. Holt, special agent in charge of the customs office in New Orleans, said the agency vigorously enforces trademark protection laws. "ICE is committed to an aggressive approach toward enforcing the nation's intellectual property rights laws."
Coogler ordered Oakley to pay restitution to Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Coach.
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Comments
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September 23, 2008 4:21:56 pm
RE: Link
I am so glad to hear that he has finally gotten what he is due. A few years ago the United Parcel Service (UPS) dropped off several COD packages to him. He wrote out a check to the driver, but in a rush, the driver forgot the check. Knowing "the purse guy" well since he was his everyday delivery guy, he went in the next day and told him what had happened expecting him to hand him the check. Instead, "the dishonest purse guy" said that he HAD INDEED given him the check. Since we're talking about thousands of dollars here, the UPS guy took him to court....and LOST!! "The purse guy" did not even have to produce any evidence of the check being cashed!! The sad thing is, the UPS guy had to pay for this OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET! UPS was nice enough, though, to take it out of his paycheck in increments. There is no telling what else this crook has done!!!!!
September 23, 2008 5:56:07 pm
Working where you have to take in money or checks for payment I have learned that you do not trust anyone to give it to you later. He gave they ups guy the check and he left it on the counter. his fault not the purse guy's. How do you know that a customer didn't take the check? Just a thought. reguardless he should get some punishment for the illegal things he was doing.
September 23, 2008 6:06:13 pm
I don't know the details of the UPS situation, but, if I ran a business and someone took me to court in a situation like this, I would have got a copy of the cashed check to prove that it was cashed or I would have told the driver he would have to pay the fees to stop the check and wrote him another. By doing what he did (if this is a true story), he made himself look suspicious, if not guilty, and definitely dishonest.
Michael
September 23, 2008 6:23:36 pm
This is very much a true story!!! I actually know the UPS guy personally. He made a very bad mistake, but, thought I guess in our Little honest town of Florence...haha...that the customer would see his mistake and everything would be worked out...
Ask any UPS employee about this, they'll know the story too....It was really bad...
September 23, 2008 6:30:49 pm
I know the subject of my post is off thread, but the same principal applies.
The purse guy is no worse than the sorry assed people who walk out on a check at a resturant, and the poor little $2.25/hr server has to pay for their food. There are a lots more of these type people out there than you can even think.
September 23, 2008 8:33:50 pm
This is just hearsay. I know that if I was getting a large check to cover COD's, I am not waiting on the next day regardless of who it is. he could have lost the check and I think the tracking pad keeps up and you have to put in it if the person pays.
September 23, 2008 10:37:52 pm
Exactly...theft is theft. I have seen people actually arrested in Huntsville for attempting to walk out on a check. Glad they were caught before they could get away with it.
September 23, 2008 10:41:48 pm
This man's wife & common law daughter-in-law ran the store in Muscle Shoals. Wonder why they weren't arrested & don't get sent to prison too?
September 24, 2008 1:39:10 pm
I know this may be a bit off topic, but since we brought up that situation with the COD and the delivery guy earlier, I have it on GOOD authority that in that particular case (between the driver and the purse guy), Judge Paseur actually took a cell phone call from the bench during the proceedings. Makes me wonder how much attention was actually paid to that particular case....
Michael
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