Charges dismissed in Chrysler parts case

Heard this on the news today and copied and pasted an article from a Carlisle,PA newspaper. According to the news report,Chrysler lost interest in the case. Thought i'd share for you guys...............John



Charges against a man accused of selling counterfeit Chrysler parts during the Carlisle All-Chrysler Nationals in July 2008 were dismissed this morning.

David Layson, 44, of Layson’s Restorations in Lakewood, Wash., was not present for the proceedings, in which he was ordered to pay $1,000 in court costs and given permission to retrieve items seized during the investigation.

Layson’s attorney, Matthew Gover, said the charges were dismissed per one of Pennsylvania’s rules of criminal procedure that allows such action if prosecutors agree. Chrysler’s dissolution into the Chrysler Group and a recent overturn of Pennsylvania’s trademark patent law contributed to the agreement, Gover said.

North Middleton Township police said they began investigating Layson after receiving a tip from Chrysler, which reported it had been trying to protect its brand in the case for nearly four years.

Layson was charged with running a corrupt organization, trademark counterfeiting and theft by deception after authorities made undercover purchases and then seized about 1,000 parts, most of them for headlights.

Layson had said he was within his right manufacturing and selling parts without the Chrysler pentastar and that all the trademarked parts seized from his stand had been purchased legitimately.