WESTLAKE VILLAGE : Photocopier Firm Will Face Charges

The Ventura County district attorney’s office Thursday initiated contempt proceedings against a photocopier firm and its president for failing to adhere to conditions of a settlement made earlier this year.

Preferred Copy Corp. of Westlake Village has continued to misrepresent itself and roll back counters on copy machines it claims are new, Deputy Dist. Atty. Michael D. Schwartz said.

Schwartz said the company offers to donate “new” copying machines to nonprofit organizations, churches and schools but requires the agencies to sign lucrative service contracts for the machines.

Company president Mark Dayne Klenin, 31, of Woodland Hills agreed in February to pay a $50,000 fine and more than $30,000 in restitution to 14 victims. Part of the settlement also stipulated that the firm stop misrepresenting itself to clients.

While the company did pay the restitution and fines, it has continued offering the machines to agencies in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San Diego counties if they sign a service contract worth several times the value of the machines, Schwartz said.

Klenin has been ordered to appear in Ventura County Superior Court on June 10 to face the allegations.

The district attorney’s office will seek a jail term for Klenin, who could face a $1,000 fine and five days in jail for each violation, Schwartz said.

“It’s particularly aggravating that he’s chosen to victimize churches and nonprofit agencies,” the prosecutor said. “There seems to be a particular degree of cruelty in selecting these victims.”

Attempts to contact Klenin on Thursday were unsuccessful. Klenin’s attorney, Melvyn D. Sacks of Los Angeles, also did not return calls.