Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 26, 1990 TAG: 9005260382
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By VICTORIA RATCLIFF STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Last week, special agents and officials of the Recording Industry Association of America seized about 3,750 tapes from a Roanoke County distributor and charged a company representative with distributing counterfeit tapes.
State police began investigating Top Ten Co. on Williamson Road after receiving a complaint from a private citizen, Oliver said.
Last week, agents searched a vehicle owned by Charles L. Howell, a Top Ten Co. representative, and found 13 cases of Top 40 music cassettes, Oliver said.
Howell was charged in Botetourt County, where his vehicle was searched.
After arresting Howell, authorities executed a search warrant at Top Ten Co. and seized 63 more cases of tapes. James Russell Richards, owner of Top Ten Co., was present during the search, Oliver said.
Between May 17 and 24, police seized 4,200 additional tapes from Top Ten Co. and W and W Wholesale Co., making the total seized about 7,300, Oliver said.
W and W Wholesale Co. is operated by Carroll W. Walton and his son, Carroll R. Walton of Rockingham County.
No additional charges have been placed.
State Police are asking any merchants who think they may have purchased counterfeit tapes to contact Cecil Handy or M.C. Peters at state police headquarters in Salem at 380-2019 or 1-800-542-5959.
Oliver said that state law stipulates that a person who sells a counterfeit tape must have knowledge that tape is counterfeit before he can be prosecuted.
by CNB