Thaindian News

MIAMI, FLORIDA (BNO NEWS) – Two smugglers were sentenced on Wednesday in connection with the use of a counterfeit Smith & Wesson Corp. registered trademark on sets of pistol grips smuggled into the United States from Brazil, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Florida Jeffrey Sloman announced.

Alfred M. Raubitschek, 59, of San Mateo, California and Itabuna, Brazil was sentenced to 6 weeks in prison followed by seven months of electronically monitored home confinement. William A. Harvey, 69, of Wilson, North Carolina was sentenced to three years of supervised release because he had cooperated in the government’s case.

The Operation Getta Grip is responsible for the conviction of these two men. According to the investigation’s reports, the two defendants were involved in the illegal importation of more than 260 sets of custom made pistol grips, designed for Smith & Wesson firearms. The grips mimicked the original Smith & Wesson’s logo. They were made from protected Brazilian rosewood and mounted with metallic medallions.

The logo is protected in the United States Patent and Trademark Office and the logo can’t be used in replicas or products that seek to mimic the legitimate items because it could lead to confusion, mistakes and deceive.

The defendants introduced the gun grips into the U.S. by falsely describing them on invoices and other documents as “rough cutting board samples.” They failed to provide required export permits from Brazil to import the protected rosewood. Rosewood, or Dalbergia nigra, is a highly prized Brazilian hardwood sometimes used to make high-end musical instruments and equipment.