The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont stated today that Steven Bellemare, 42, a native of Bennington, Vermont currently living in Hoosick Falls, New York, was sentenced on June 25, 2008, by United States District Judge J. Garvan Murtha, to two-years probation following his guilty plea to structuring financial transactions for the purpose of avoiding reporting requirements, a violation of Federal law. Judge Murtha also ordered Bellemare to pay a fine of $7,500.

According to court records, Bellemare had a license to sell mattresses manufactured by Tempur-Pedic. Tempur-Pedic forbid the sales of its mattresses over the Internet or at a price less than that set by Tempur-Pedic. Bellemare, in violation of his licensing agreement, sold mattresses he obtained from Tempur-Pedic to a third party, who then caused the mattresses to be sold over the Internet, all at a price less than that authorized by Tempur-Pedic. For these transactions, Bellemare was paid in cash. Bellemare, in turn, deposited the cash into various banks in the Bennington, Vermont area in amounts less than $10,000, for the purpose of avoiding a report of the cash deposit from being generated by the bank. Bellemare made numerous cash deposits over a 2 year period in an amount over $1.1 million.

United States Attorney Anderson commended the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Bellemare was represented by John Canney and Jim Carroll. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Barbara Masterson.