United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the sentence of BRIAN TODD GORE a/k/a “Sammy Walker," 46, to 37 months in federal prison for conspiring to traffic counterfeit Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, National Football League, National Hockey League and National Collegiate Athletic Association jerseys. GORE was indicted on July 9, 2014, and pleaded guilty on December 9, 2014. He was sentenced today before United States District Court Judge Patrick Schiltz.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, from November 2009 through September 2012, GORE ordered counterfeit jerseys from suppliers in China and sold them to various buyers in Minnesota and elsewhere. One such buyer was a co-conspirator, R.M., the owner of AME Sports in Roseville, Minnesota. According to R.M., Gore was R.M.’s primary supplier of counterfeit jerseys, which R.M. sold at his store.
According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, in February 2010, GORE and others from Minnesota traveled to Miami, Fla., to sell fake NFL jerseys at Super Bowl XLIV. They were encountered as part of a law enforcement operation in which GORE and his co-conspirators tried to sell the counterfeit apparel to undercover officers. At the time, officers seized 383 jerseys from GORE, as well as international shipping receipts showing packages sent from China.
GORE was caught again two years later in Minnesota while in possession of more than 2,000 counterfeit jerseys and hats, some of which retailed in authentic form for as much as $300 each. The total potential retail value of the goods GORE counterfeited was at least $320,000.
This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Hudleston.
Defendant Information:
BRIAN TODD GORE, 46
Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
Convicted:
* Conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods, 1 count
Sentenced:
* 37 months in prison
* 3 years supervised release
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
