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Two Charged In Counterfeit Movie And Music CD Investigation

Release Date: April 15, 2005

Undercover Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies have charged two men with possessing almost 1500 counterfeit movie DVDs and music CDs.

Yesterday afternoon, Deputies with the A.L.E.R.T. (Area Law Enforcement Retail Teams) Task Force arrested Marcus Steward, 29, of Memphis and Andre Gordon, 25, also of Memphis, after they sold 50 pirated movies to Deputies at a business parking lot in the Hickory Hill area. Investigators then went to Steward’s home in the 5600 block of Myers where they found 1240 counterfeit movies and 340 pirated music CDs. The items had a street value of more than $27,000.

“This is another significant indication that counterfeiting has a major impact on our economy. We will continue to be aggressive through our A.L.E.R.T. Task Force to stop this kind of illegal activity which generates huge losses for many businesses in our community,” said Shelby County Sheriff Mark H. Luttrell, Jr.

Many of the confiscated movies were copies of features currently being shown in theaters which have not been released to rental stores. Deputies also found a sawed-off shot gun which is illegal to possess. Steward and Gordon were both charged with Criminal Simulation which is a felony.

Marcus Steward	Andree Gordon

Steward, who was on probation for shoplifting at the time he was arrested, was also charged with possessing the prohibited weapon. The charge is a felony that carries mandatory jail time.

Deputies also seized $931 in cash and the 2004 Mercedes Benz Steward was driving.

A.L.E.R.T. Task Force stats for 2005:

• People charged with the sale of stolen or counterfeit property: 34
• Value of Seized Counterfeit items: $170,000
• Value of Stolen Property Recovered: $5,000
• Cash Recovered: $1300

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