Release Date: March 11, 2008

Contact:

Howard A. Wise, Senior Deputy District Attorney

(805) 662-1736  

District Attorney Gregory D. Totten announced today that the District Attorney's Office has obtained the conviction of Denny Cuellar (DOB 03/26/67) and Edgar Alva Marin (DOB 08/19/82). Cuellar and Marin, residents of Los Angeles , pleaded guilty to possessing counterfeit iPods with intent to sell them. Marin also pleaded guilty to operating a motor vehicle without a license.

On July 1, 2007, a California Highway Patrol officer observed Marin driving 95 miles per hour on Highway 101 in Ventura . Cuellar and a third defendant, Victor Lopez, were passengers in the car. After a traffic stop and search of the car, an investigation revealed that the three men had purchased 150 counterfeit iPods and 60 counterfeit Sony digital video cameras in Los Angeles . They had then driven to San Francisco and sold most of the counterfeit items. California Highway Patrol officers seized 17 counterfeit iPods, six counterfeit video cameras and more than $13,000 cash from the car.

On March 10, 2008, Judge Charles McGrath accepted Cuellar and Marin's guilty pleas. Cuellar and Marin face up to three years in state prison and $250,000 in fines. The People are seeking the forfeiture of the counterfeit goods and cash. Sentencing is scheduled for April 29, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. in court room 20, following a pre-sentence report. Co-defendant Lopez failed to appear and there is a warrant for his arrest.