COLUMBUS, Ohio – Timothy Stanfield, the 47-year-old owner of Ready Made RC, a Lewis Center-based company that sells radio-controlled model aircraft and drones, as well as parts and supplies for them, has pleaded guilty to intentionally understating the value of lithium polymer (LiPo) batteries he imported from China in order to avoid paying the proper import duty/tax on them, and violating safety regulations by improperly labeling, mailing and shipping the batteries.
A total of 13 orders from a Chinese company, Kypom Technology Stock Co, LTD, were placed between October 2012 and January 2015, valued at $778,395.60. Customs and Border Protection agents inspected one of the shipments in January 2015 consisting of 186 boxes containing 4,007 individual batteries. The declared value was $19,827, which is significantly less than the actual invoiced value of the batteries.
Stanfield agreed to pay restitution of $22,614.74 to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A sentencing date will be scheduled following a pre-sentence investigation by the court.
Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Steve Francis, Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations, and Ryan L. Korner, Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigation, announced the pleas entered before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norah McCann King on Wednesday, November 27.
“Companies who illegally import batteries and other merchandise with the intent to evade U.S. Customs laws will be held accountable,” Said Steve Francis. “Simply put, when these U.S. laws are not adhered to, lives are put at risk. HSI and our partners will continue to aggressively target and investigate those who jeopardize consumer safety.”
“The details of this case are egregious,” stated Ryan L. Korner. “Timothy Stanfield placed a higher value on his profit than the safety of the employees of the air cargo companies.”
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Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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