Erie - FBI breaks up 'purse party' at district judge's house

[doug]

FBI breaks up 'purse party' at district judge's house

BY ED PALATTELLA [Original Source]

The FBI's crackdown on the sale of counterfeit purses brought agents to the house of Erie 6th Ward District Judge Dominick DiPaolo.

Agents on Wednesday night visited DiPaolo's house on West 35th Street in the city of Erie to break up what the judge described as a "purse party" his wife was hosting.

DiPaolo said agents told his wife that the FBI believed counterfeit purses might have been for sale at the party. DiPaolo said the FBI took several of the purses and questioned a woman who DiPaolo said organized the party and who brought the purses to it.

Based on what the FBI told his wife, DiPaolo said, the agents had previously warned that woman to stop selling the purses at parties.

"They told my wife that she wasn't in trouble, that none of her guests were in trouble," DiPaolo said today.

Read more about this case in Saturday's Erie Times-News.

[LastManOut]

So does this mean Amway now has to go clandestine in Erie?

[Jay5oh]

Of all the things that do down in this stupid city we are concerned about fake purses? How about all of the drug activity going on across the F'n street from my house....allegedly? How about all the prostitution going on across the street from my house...allegedly? How about all of the obnoxious, loudmouth, idiots leaving the bar and waking me (and the neighborhood) up at 2AM? How about all of those loudmouth idiots that have guns illegally...allegedly? And we are worried about fake purses? I've called the city bldg (almost every office I thought could do something) multiple times. I've called the District Judge multiple times. Hell, I've even called the PA LCB about the bar that is the root of the whole problem. Now I see where the city is spending all of it's resources. On freaking illegal purses!

[/end pissed off rant because I again was woken up at 2AM this morning]

[doug]

Was an FBI raid, which is obviously Federal.

[JustinM]

Well thank god.

I feel much safer now with all those purses off the streets.

[budney]

Of all the things that do down in this stupid city we are concerned about fake purses?

That's awesome news. It means that there are no unsolved murders, rapes, muggings or anything else. Erie must now be practically crime-free.

--Len.

[dnar]

Hey Doug, I must confess that I'm guilty of purchasing a counterfeit "Prada" handbag for my niece who lives in Hawaii. I asked her what she wanted for her birthday and she said a Prada handbag. I knew that I wouldn't be able to get her the real McCoy, and being the sweet understanding person she is, settled for the "FAKE" version ($45.00), and it looks and feels exactly like the real one ($1450.00). Man, I'm so selfish and such a cheapskate for spending $$$$ on myself buying guns, and not doing the same for my favorite niece on her birthday.

Take care,

Rand

P.S. I'll never buy counterfeit things again, I promise!

[TonyF]

Of all the things that do down in this stupid city we are concerned about fake purses? How about all of the drug activity going on across the F'n street from my house....allegedly? How about all the prostitution going on across the street from my house...allegedly? How about all of the obnoxious, loudmouth, idiots leaving the bar and waking me (and the neighborhood) up at 2AM? How about all of those loudmouth idiots that have guns illegally...allegedly? And we are worried about fake purses? I've called the city bldg (almost every office I thought could do something) multiple times. I've called the District Judge multiple times. Hell, I've even called the PA LCB about the bar that is the root of the whole problem. Now I see where the city is spending all of it's resources. On freaking illegal purses!

[/end pissed off rant because I again was woken up at 2AM this morning]

It wasn't local LE, it was the FBI.

What about intellectual property rights (your intellectual property rights)?

What about patent infringement (your patent)?

What about profiting illegally via interstate trafficking of merchandise based on stolen intellectual property rights?

If someone stole YOUR idea / property that you invested YOUR money and hard work into and and trafficked the merchandise in several states, YOU'D run crying to the Feds too and based on Federal law, they would be obligated to act.

[Jay5oh]

What about intellectual property rights (your intellectual property rights)?

What about patent infringement (your patent)?

What about profiting illegally via interstate trafficking of merchandise based on stolen intellectual property rights?

Oh yeah, those are much more important that alleged illegal drug activity, postitution, firearm violations and causing a nuisance.

If someone stole YOUR idea / property that you invested YOUR money and hard work into and and trafficked the merchandise in several states, YOU'D run crying to the Feds too and based on Federal law, they would be obligated to act.

Since you have never met me and don't know me or my background you wouldn't know that I have had MY property/merchandise that I have spend considerable amount of time and resources to attain stolen. Still, I find drug activity, prostitution and drunk 'gangsta' wannabe's with guns a bigger problem. You can debate it with yourself as much as you want.......

[TonyF]

Oh yeah, those are much more important that alleged illegal drug activity, postitution, firearm violations and causing a nuisance.

Since you have never met me and don't know me or my background you wouldn't know that I have had MY property/merchandise that I have spend considerable amount of time and resources to attain stolen. Still, I find drug activity, prostitution and drunk 'gangsta' wannabe's with guns a bigger problem. You can debate it with yourself as much as you want.......

I could sense the frustration in your reply that I quoted but I was only trying to make the point that the FBI was doing their job.