Edhat StaffSource: Santa Barbara County District Attorney
Santa Barbara County District Attorney Joyce E. Dudley announced today the resolution of a consumer-protection action against Alejandro Alonso. Mr. Alonso’s company packages and sells spices, herbs, and other sundries via retailers in Lompoc, Santa Maria, and Fresno. The action was filed in Santa Barbara Superior Court in Santa Maria and alleges violations of the False Advertising Law and Unfair Competition Law based on the sale of short-weight products.
The violations were discovered during routine and follow-up inspections by the Santa Barbara County and Fresno County Weights & Measures Departments. The matter was then referred to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office. D.D.A. Chris Dalbey then successfully prosecuted the action with the Fresno County District Attorney’s Office.
D.A. Dudley noted, “Short-weight products harm consumers because they are paying for an amount of product that they are not actually receiving. In addition, competitor companies are harmed because violators can charge less for their products”.
In the Final Judgment by Stipulation, Judge Timothy J. Staffel ordered Mr. Alonso to routinely verify the accuracy of his commercial scales. In addition, Judge Staffel ordered Mr. Alonso to pay $20,000:
• $3,600 in investigation costs to the Santa Barbara and Fresno Weights & Measures Departments;
• $14,000 in civil penalties, split equally between the Santa Barbara and Fresno District Attorney’s Offices; and
• $2,400 in cy pres restitution to the Consumer Protection Prosecution Trust Fund.
