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Addison man sentenced for mislabeling seafood products

The owner of an Addison seafood distributor was sentenced Wednesday to five years of federal probation and a maximum $100,000 fine for mislabeling products and misstating weights to charge customers more, according to a news release from the U.S. attorneys office in Chicago.

Patrick A. Bruno, 71, of Addison, was sentenced after pleading guilty in April to a misdemeanor violation of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

Bruno, president and owner of Gourmet Express Marketing Inc., admitted that between 2007 and 2010 he mislabeled and sold swai as “catfish” and perch as “red snapper” or “pacific snapper.” He also overstated the weight of frozen shrimp by adding an ice glaze to the products.

According to officials, the mislabeling did not result in any known illnesses or danger to public health.

Bruno will spend the first six months of his sentence in home confinement.

He also was ordered to obey a five-year civil consent decree that requires the hiring of an independent expert at the company’s expense to ensure compliance with federal laws. If future violations occur, Bruno will be responsible for paying $5,000 to $10,000 a day per shipment for civil damages.

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