PHILADELPHIA – United States Lawyer Jacqueline Romero announced that Emiliano Rodriguez, 45, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Philadelphia, PA pleaded responsible to 1 rely of trafficking in counterfeit products, and two counts of creating the supply of dangerous components by air carrier in connection with a plan to make the most of counterfeit items in applied autos, which he then resold to unsuspecting clients.
From at least in or about January 2017 as a result of on or about October 30, 2019, defendant Rodriguez, an automobile mechanic, fraudulently imported airbags from China and mounted these faulty sections in salvaged autos which had been then reintroduced to the consumer marketplace. China has been determined as the major exporter of counterfeit commodities, like counterfeit airbags. People concerned in the trade of counterfeit airbags interact in this apply in an hard work to raise income from their income by lowering the charges of the elements utilised to substitute the first things. Unsuspecting motorists invest in remanufactured vehicles unaware of the record or the substandard/defective part(s) utilized in the car or truck reconstruction. At the time acquired and pushed on community streets, the automobiles expose the driver, passengers and normal community to the dangers connected with vehicle malfunctions due to the use of substandard pieces. Some of these malfunctions might contain tires vulnerable to blow-outs, brakes unable to stand up to the high temperatures affiliated with highway driving speeds, and airbags incapable of timely inflation or more than-inflation that end result in the death or major damage of the driver or others exposed to the defective airbag. In this situation, federal brokers recovered extra than 450 counterfeit airbags and sections from Rodriguez’s home and company.
“Counterfeit airbags are participating in Russian roulette with the lives of unsuspecting shoppers,” mentioned U.S. Attorney Romero. “The National Highway Targeted traffic Protection Administration notes that counterfeits have continually been demonstrated to malfunction. Emiliano Rodriguez peddled these airbags for earnings, being aware of life would be at danger. Individuals need to also be aware of the menace. Our office will continue on to function with federal, state, and community legislation enforcement partners to keep these perilous counterfeit products and solutions from becoming imported.”
“Emiliano Rodriguez’s plea really should serve as a potent warning that disreputable actors could circumvent our legal guidelines and basic safety protocols by making use of international commerce to attain and set up faulty, unsafe, and counterfeit gear in order to make a financial gain,” explained Exclusive Agent in Cost of Homeland Protection Investigations Philadelphia William S. Walker. “In all professional transactions, we urge buyers to conduct their own exploration and only acquire from respected dealers who have a verifiable monitor document of legal efficiency. The implications of not performing so can be dire, including financial losses or even the reduction of existence or limb.”
“Today’s announcement is a sober reminder that the basic safety of the community is place at grave chance when counterfeit airbags are illegally transported by air and later on launched into the marketplace and cars and trucks traveling on our roadways,” reported Christopher A. Scharf, Distinctive Agent in Charge, Office of Transportation Workplace of Inspector Typical, Northeastern Area. “As we go on doing work with our regulation enforcement and prosecutorial associates, we also encourage the general public to review methods obtainable at https://www.nhtsa.gov/devices/air-luggage#the-subject-pretend-air-luggage.”
The defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, 3 decades of supervised release, fines of $50,000, and a $200 unique assessment. As a non-U.S. citizen, he also faces deportation.
The scenario was investigated by the Section of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations and the Department of Transportation, and is getting prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney M. Beth Leahy.
An indictment, details, or felony grievance is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until finally tested responsible.