Two guilty in Kane Flea Market counterfeit scheme

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Updated: March 16, 2012 8:10AM

ST. CHARLES — A man and woman from Elgin charged last year with selling counterfeit designer merchandise have pleaded guilty to violating company trademarks.

Roberto and Armila Santarromana both admitted to one misdemeanor count of violating trademarks in connection with thousands of counterfeit items that were housed in an Elgin warehouse and also being sold at the Kane County Flea Market. Both were sentenced to two years probation, 90 days of electronic home monitoring and were ordered to pay $8,515 in fines and costs as part of the deal with prosecutors approved by Kane County Judge Clint Hull.

The Santarromanas were arrested last May along with two others after investigators working for Tiffany, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Dooney & Burke reported purchasing high-end knock-offs at the monthly sale at the Kane County Fairgrounds in St. Charles.

Kane sheriff’s investigators went to the fairgrounds and found numerous purses, bags, sunglasses and jewelry, bearing the faked trademarked logos, on display for sale, officials said.

The investigation later turned up more counterfeit merchandise in storage lockers near Elgin’s east side.

Another suspect, Jin Qu, of Corona, N.Y., pleaded guilty in July to the misdemeanor trademark violation. He was placed on 18 months of probation and ordered to pay nearly $3,200 in fines. Qu and the Santarromanas were all originally charged with felonies.

A fourth suspect, Ying Fu, of Chicago, returns to court March 15. He is charged with a felony count of possessing and selling the counterfeit items.