Man gets prison for importing fake male enhancement pills
A Long Beach man was sentenced Monday to 10 months in prison for importing thousands of counterfeit male enhancement pills that had dangerous levels of lead, federal authorities said.
Shem Michahdavid Weissman, 24, admitted that he had ordered the phony ExtenZe tablets from a Chinese manufacturer and had them shipped to his rented post office box in Los Angeles, according to federal authorities.
Authorities launched a probe of Weissman after Immigration Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a package that contained 1,800 counterfeit pills. Weissman also went by the name of Brody Gold, federal authorities said.
Nearly 23,000 pills were ultimately seized in the case. Tests showed that they were tainted with more than 140% of allowable lead levels, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The case is a “sobering reminder about the risks for consumers who purchase such products,” said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for the Immigration Customs and Enforcement office in Los Angeles.
After his release from prison, Weissman will be on three years of supervised release.
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