One Alex man, three from Long Prairie charged for selling fake jerseys

Editor’s note: This story is reprinted, with permission, from the Long Prairie Leader

A federal grand jury in Minneapolis charged three Long Prairie residents with conspiring to sell fake NFL and NHL jerseys. Charles F. Thompson, 40, his wife Patricia A. Thompson, 38 and his father Darrell L. Thompson 67, were among a group of six charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods.

According to a report from the United States Department of Justice in Minneapolis, the group conspired to counterfeit sportswear including NFL and NHL jerseys and Nike sports apparel which Charles Thompson, obtained from sources in China and paid for through Western Union wire transfers.

According to the report, between October 2007 and January 2009, Charles Thompson sent 50 payments totaling approximately $98,000. Between January, 2008 and July 2009, Patricia Thompson wired payments totaling approximately $52,000 to China.

Charles Thompson had the sportswear shipped to various properties he owned or controlled in Minnesota.

According to the documents, on November 23, 2009, Darrell Thompson accepted 11 parcels which contained more than 155 items at his home in Long Prairie. On that same date, Patricia Thompson accepted nine parcels which contained 133 counterfeit NFL jerseys at the home she shares with Charles Thompson.

Charles Thompson had 3,000 items of counterfeit sportswear at his home on November 23, 2009.

Charles sold the items to William C. Bakken, 66, Plymouth, Robert A. Ingebretson, 49, Alexandria and James W. Braun Jr., 41, Milaca, who were also charged with conspiracy.

From September 2008, through November 2009, Bakken purchased items from Charles Thompson on a number of occasions and sold them after substantial price markups.

On December 1, 2009, Ingebretson was found in possession of about 127 counterfeit items at his store, Sportsminded, at 3015 Highway 29 in Alexandria.

Between December 2008 and November 2009, Braun bought at least 100 items from Charles Thompson for resale at Studio 52 in the Crossroads Center in St. Cloud.

Conviction for conspiracy carries a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison.

Tags: crime news, long prairie, fake jerseys, news, alexandria