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August 13, 2005eBay drop-off store partners are arrestedByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Owners of a local eBay drop-off store are fighting misdemeanor charges alleging they violated state laws applying to pawnbrokers and secondhand dealers. Mark R. Bowie, 51, and Steven G. Swaney, 27, are partners in the Drop Spot, a Traverse City business that opened in November and helps customers sell items on eBay. They each face two charges alleging they failed to tag and report secondhand merchandise and did not keep fingerprint records state law requires secondhand dealers to provide. Swaney said the Traverse City Police Department contacted the business this summer and asked that the reports be prepared. He said he and Bowie reviewed the law with Traverse City attorney Joseph Aprea(*) and sent a written response to the police department contending the laws governing pawnbrokers didn't apply to their type of business. "We never take ownership of any items," Swaney said. Swaney said Traverse City police officers arrested him and Bowie Wednesday at the business. Swaney and Bowie both pleaded not guilty during arraignments this week in Grand Traverse County District Court. State law requires secondhand dealers to provide weekly reports to law enforcement listing articles purchased or received and the people they received them from. The law also requires dealers to fingerprint the items' sellers and forward the prints to police.
Clearing the Record
This article incorrectly listed the defendants’ attorney. Their attorney is James Aprea.
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