Highland woman pleads guilty to trafficking counterfeit designer goods, feds say
A 38-year-old Highland woman has pleaded guilty in federal court in East St. Louis to one count of trafficking in counterfeit goods.
Emily Montegna admitted to trafficking counterfeit designer goods and infringing on registered trademarks by selling items she imported from overseas through her business to unsuspecting consumers as real, high-end brand products, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office Thursday.
Among the counterfeit items were cosmetics, purses, clothing and accessories with well known trademarks.
Montegna’s sentencing hearing is set for 10:30 a.m. July 1 at the federal courthouse in East St. Louis.
She is facing up to 10 years in federal prison and up to $2 million in fines.
A plea agreement filed on Feb. 12 states Montegna and the government agree that she “has voluntarily demonstrated a recognition and affirmative acceptance of personal responsibility for this criminal conduct.” Also, according to the agreement, the prosecution “agrees to recommend a sentence at the low end of the Sentencing Guideline range ultimately found by the Court.”
Court documents show that Montegna used several business names like “Emily’s Creative Creations,” “Hickory Flat Farm Vinyl & Deals,””Emily’s She Shed,” or Hickory Hill Vinyl& Deals” while trafficking counterfeit products through her business.
Montegna used a Facebook group and her home to sell the counterfeit products from October 2019 through January 2022., court documents show.
Among the items she was selling as the real deal, to make a profit through her business, were socks, purses, sunglasses and other accessories she imported from overseas.
Prosecutors said Montegna used trademarks like Estée Lauder, L’Oréal, Parfums Christian Dior, Tarte, Too Faced, Deckers Outdoor, Victoria’s Secret, Kate Spade, Under Armour, Nike and Michael Kors to deceive her customers.
Acting U..S. Attorney Ali Summers said in the news release, “Fake cosmetics pose significant health risks for consumers and selling counterfeit goods harms unsuspecting shoppers who believe they are getting the real product.”
The investigation into Montegna’s counterfeit trafficking was led by Homeland Security agents.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoe Gross is prosecuting the case.
Montegna was represented by Justin Kuehn when she signed the plea agreement last month.
