In March, 2009, detectives with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office were notified by the Federal Bureau of Investigations that a local business was selling counterfeit DVDs. Based on this information, Lee County Sheriff’s Office detectives initiated an investigation which resulted in the arrests of two individuals.

On March 16, 2009, an investigator with the Motion Pictures Association of America, working with Lee County Sheriff’s Office detectives, reported that she purchased a counterfeit copy of “Slumdog Millionare” from the Unique Auto Spa, located at 11796-A Metro Parkway, Fort Myers. While making this purchase, the investigator was also able to collect visual evidence that several other counterfeit movie titles were also being sold out of the business. Two subsequent trips back to the business resulted in the purchase of several more counterfeit movies.

Also gathered by investigators during the course of the investigation was a scale possibly used for the sale of cocaine, and an undisclosed amount of marijuana. The investigation resulted in the following arrests and charges:

Ricardo Lorenzo, 31, of 2651 Celigro Road, Alva. He has been charged with four counts of passing counterfeit DVDs or Movies, possession of cocaine, possession of narcotics equipment, and possession of marijuana with Intent to sell.

Tomas Matthew Malave, 26, of 2125 SW 44th Terrace, Cape Coral. He’s also charged with four counts of passing counterfeit DVDs or movies, possession of cocaine, possession of rarcotics equipment, and possession of marijuana with intent to sell.

Source: Lee County Sheriff’s Office