Man Accused of Selling Counterfeit Guitars

A Lillington man was arrested last week and charged in connection with selling counterfeit guitars.

Steven Sexton, 48, faces two felony counts of criminal use of a counterfeit trademark, following an investigation by the North Carolina Secretary of State's Trademark Enforcement Section.

Investigators said Sexton placed an advertisement in a newspaper for Les Paul Gibson guitars, but the guitars were actually counterfeit.

The state started investigating after a 15-year-old Cary boy reported he had been scammed.

Investigators found additional evidence of sales with guitars appearing to be Gibson Les Pauls, and seized five of them with cases from Sexton's property, according to arrest records.

Two alleged victims voluntarily turned over the guitars they had bought from Sexton to assist in the investigation.