Authorities in Las Vegas, Nev., have sentenced a man to nine months in jail for possessing and selling stolen Mitchell 1 software, thanks to the help of Mitchell 1 sales representative John Fowkes.

Fowkes was in a friend’s shop the day the impostor posing as a Mitchell 1 sales representative approached, trying to sell the “pirated” software for $150. Not realizing Fowkes was an actual Mitchell 1 sales representative, the man agreed to meet Fowkes the next day to install the stolen software. With the help of a detective in the electronic crimes division of the Las Vegas police department, the man was caught in the act and arrested for possessing and selling stolen software.

“We’re lucky that John was in the right place at the right time to help catch this criminal.” said Dan Williams, senior director of sales operations for Mitchell 1. “Unfortunately, this is a prevalent problem in our industry, and while this is one more criminal off the street, there are others just like him still out there. In a continual effort to stop the fraudulent use of our products, we ask that shops be aware of this scheme and report any suspicious activities to the proper authorities.”

Mitchell 1 only guarantees its products when sold and installed by an authorized Mitchell 1 sales representative. Visit MitchellRep.com to lookup your local Mitchell 1 Sales Rep.