Campus security, police arrest men with counterfeit merchandise www.privateofficer.com
According to the warrants, N.C. Secretary of State Trademark Enforcement Agent Derek Wiles of North Wilkesboro and Officer Joe Buchanan of the of the N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement Hickory District office arrested Tevinn Leron Pair, 18, of Orangeburg, S.C., Chris Jody Dwight, 16, of Columbia, S.C., Paul Taylor, 25, of Kannapolis, and Jevon M. Barber, 28, of Eastover, S.C.
The four, according to records, were parked behind one of the apartment buildings at Windemere Apartments on Collegiate Drive at 11 p.m. Officers said that the four were probably waiting to sell the shirts to fans leaving the campus after the performance by the Zac Brown Band, and that none of the shirts had been sold when the four were apprehended.
Officers said that the screen printing on the variety of shirts, as well as the shirts, were poor quality. Counterfeit shirts are usually sold for $5 to $10. Licensed Zac Brown Band shirts of similar designs sold at the MerleFest Mall were priced at $25.
The four were charged with felony criminal use of a counterfeit trademark on merchandise with a retail value of $5,775 (based on the $25 retail price). They were processed through the Wilkes County Jail and are being held under a $15,000 secured bond pending first appearance hearings this morning.
Wilkes Community College security officers assisted with the arrest and seizures, along with officers from the Wilkesboro Police Department, Wilkes County Sheriff’s Department and North Wilkesboro Police Departments who are working for WCC Security during the festival.
Officers from the N.C. Secretary of State’s Counterfeit Task Force work undercover at special events such as MerleFest and will be here through Sunday.
Licensed products, including T-shirts and other apparel, and CDs, are available at the MerleFest Mall on the WCC campus.
