August 2, 2008 – Trial date rescheduled for “Buster White” accused of trafficking counterfeit items
Texarkana Gazette
August 2, 2008
by Jim Williamson
Trial date rescheduled for Texas man accused of trafficking counterfeit items
An agreement is being finalized to resolve federal criminal indictments “without a trial” against a Texarkana, Texas, man charged with allegedly trafficking in 1,475 pairs of counterfeit Nike shoes and compact discs.
The trial for Leslie Ray “Buster” White was scheduled for Aug. 4-5 before U.S. District Judge David Folsom in the Eastern District of Texas, Texarkana division, according to the federal court documents.
But White’s attorneys recently filed legal motions delaying the legal proceedings until Sept. 2 for a pretrial conference and Sept. 3 for jury selection if needed.
The document said the attorneys for White and the Assistant U.S. Attorney Alan Jackson “are in the process of finalizing an agreement that will resolve the current indictment without a trial.”
White has pleaded innocent to the federal charges of trafficking in 1,475 pairs of counterfeit Nike shoes and trafficking in counterfeit labels of copyrighted compact discs.
The merchandise was reportedly sold through the Great American Outlet Mall. The indictment did not specify whether White owned or managed the store.
David Botsford of Austin, Texas, the lead attorney representing White, was unavailable for comment about the motion to resolve the indictment without a trial.
Texarkana, Texas, attorney Craig Henry, who also represents White, declined to comment.
In an e-mail response to questions from the Gazette, Jackson said, “I cannot, at this time, comment beyond what the motion says.”
White was indicted last year by a federal grand jury in Tyler, Texas. He was released from federal custody on his own recognizance.
The FBI confiscated about $109,185 in cash from a safe in the Great American Outlet Mall on New Boston Road in Texarkana, Texas.
The indictments are based on alleged sales of the counterfeit shoes and CDs at the outlet mall.
For trafficking in counterfeit goods, the maximum sentence is 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $2 million.
A conviction for trafficking in counterfeit labels could result in a maximum of five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
During appearances before the Fouke, Ark., City Council meetings, White has been referred to as the associate pastor of the Tony Alamo Ministries. However, Alamo said White was “just a member” of the ministries.
A radio program broadcast by the Tony Alamo Ministries, dated June 15, 2007, discussed the initial investigation and was listed as “Program 395.” The recorded program is available to the public over the Internet on the ministry’s Website.
During the program, White said FBI agents “stole $110,000 from my safe and $55,000 to $60,000 of inventory.”
White also claimed in the radio program he was “harassed at our home.”
“I told everyone involved in this, ‘You can take my business, my homes, cars, but you can’t take my soul,’” White said on the program.