New York man faces Trumbull grand jury on counterfeiting charges

NILES — One man will face a grand jury on counterfeiting charges while another man was cleared in a preliminary hearing today in municipal court.

Wu Tao, 24, of Brooklyn, N.Y., has been transported to the Trumbull County Jail, where he will later face a grand jury on charges of trademark counterfeiting and that he took part in a counterfeiting operation in August.

Niles Prosecutor Terry Swauger said the trademark counterfeiting charge against John Lastic, 59, of Greensburg, Pa., who was arrested along with Tao, was dismissed by the state after a review of the evidence.

The charges stem from the raid of a Weathersfield warehouse, where between $15 million and $20 million in counterfeit merchandise was discovered. The merchandise was sold at flea markets and supply outlets.