Posted on 12/23/2009 10:06:27 PM PST by stan_sipple
When the Lincoln store owner bought $700 worth of cell phones for $110 from an undercover officer, he didn't understand they were stolen, his attorney says.
So Benicio Lobo, owner of City Mex Market Convenience Store, 338 N. 27th St., ordered two 27-inch flat screen TVs, two microwaves and two toasters.
But he soon learned it was all part of an undercover investigation, spurred by confidential tips, that ended in his arrest and the arrests of four others in March.
At Lobo's sentencing Monday, attorney Harry Moore argued his client had a less formal way of doing business and didn't always make sure he had the proper paperwork.
He said Lobo, 51, came to the U.S. 28 years ago from Central America, and had a culturally different way of doing business.
"On the face of it, it looks bad," Moore said.
Police say an undercover officer told Lobo she worked at Target and could get anything he wanted "off the dock."
By then, police said, he already had bought more than $1,000 worth of merchandise for about $200.
Moore said Lobo probably should have known better, and at some point he did figure out there was something fishy about the whole thing.
He said this won't happen again with Lobo. It's been an education, and he knows he needs to tighten his operation.
Moore argued for probation, saying Lobo's family business probably would go under if he were incarcerated.
In the end, District Judge Robert Otte gave Lobo probation. But he didn't buy all of Moore's argument.
"I don't believe for a moment Mr. Lobo didn't know what was going on," he said.
Otte gave Lobo two years of probation, a $5,000 fine and 80 hours of community service.
In all, the undercover police investigation into businesses buying stolen goods led to five arrests at three Lincoln businesses.
Police said an undercover officer sold items at Lobo's City Mex, CD Warehouse and Nam's Billiard Club & Cafe, despite saying they'd been stolen.
Lobo's was the only case to reach sentencing.
Four others charged in the investigation had their cases dismissed to pretrial diversion, including:
* Chadwick Turner, 38, of Waverly, the owner of CD Warehouse, 5141 O St., and his employee Jason Hyatt, 27, bought new DVDs and Blu-rays, some of which still had security devices attached to them.
* Nam Duong, 58, owner of Nam's Billiard Club & Cafe, 940 N. 27th St., bought stolen cell phones; and Thinh Tan Nguyen, 28, expressed interest in doing the same during the officer's dealings with Duong.
yeah 28 years isn’t quite long enough to learn our culture.
Borders!
Language!
Culture!
Give him a break this was not wrong in his homeland. It must be fine in Obummers Amerika!
Where is a liberal Judge when you need one.
awwww..... my heart pours out for the illegal aliens... NOT!
He knew it was stolen. Claims of entrapment and ignorance are BS.
Send him back to Juarez.
Could this be about Nelson stealing from the taxpayers?
“At Lobo’s sentencing Monday, attorney Harry Moore argued his client had a less formal way of doing business and didn’t always make sure he had the proper paperwork.
He said Lobo, 51, came to the U.S. 28 years ago from Central America, and had a culturally different way of doing business.”
A culturally different way of doing business.......exactly...lie, cheat, steal. Hey, foreigners, we don’t need you for that, we have the US Senate!!
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