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by Brendan Dunne
Kyle Yamaguchi, the ex-Nike employee accused of stealing and selling thousands of dollars worth of sample sneakers, received his sentence on Wednesday.
Yamaguchi's lawyers and the federal prosecutors reached a plea agreement that calls for five years of probation and 50 hours of voluntary community service. Yamaguchi originally faced a potential five-year prison term for his part in the sneaker theft ring, but his willingness to cooperate with the government in the case seems to have helped him avoid that.
According to The Oregonian, Yamaguchi immediately told federal authorities everything he'd done. He gave prosecutors a binder full of evidence, he made a PowerPoint presentation detailing all his illegal activities, and he even wore a wire during a high-money sneaker transaction to help bust co-conspirator Jason Keating. Keating is a sneaker seller who dealt primarily in Nike LeBron samples and exclusives.
Keating and Tung Ho, a former Nike employee who helped in the sale of the sneakers, have pleaded not guilty to their charges and are schedule for trial on April 21.
