September 9, 09

NEWS / Maryland man pleads guilty to selling stolen stamps and counterfeit NFL goods on eBay

BALTIMORE - Kyle Mathias, 23, of Joppa, Md., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to steal from the United States and trafficking in counterfeit goods, in connection with a scheme to sell stolen U.S. postal stamps and counterfeit goods on eBay, announced U. S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.

According to the plea agreement, from at least January 2007 through March 2009, Mathias sold U.S. postage stamps on eBay, which co-conspirator Marvin Foster stole from the Elkridge U.S. post office, where he was employed. Foster sold the stamps to Mathias who resold the stamps on eBay using an account Mathias created. Since June 2008, eBay records reflect that Mathias has made 120 sales of stamps that he illegally obtained from Foster, worth approximately $259,265, for a total sales price of approximately $229,207.95. Mathias sold other illegal items through his online store.

Specifically, Mathias sold and distributed large amounts of counterfeit NFL jerseys. According to PayPal records, Mathias sold over 8,684 sales of jerseys for approximately $383,315. Finally, Mathias did not report to the IRS or pay taxes on any of the unlawful income that he earned from his sale of NFL jerseys or stolen U.S. postage stamps.

Mathias faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiracy to steal from the United States and a maximum of 10 years in prison for trafficking in counterfeit goods. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for Dec. 11, 2009 at 9:15 a.m.

Marvin Lamont Foster, 55, of Rosedale, Md., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal from the U. S. Postal Service (USPS), and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 13, 2009 at 10:00 a.m.

http://www.ice.gov/pi/nr/0909/090908baltimore.htm