David Lettieri, a convicted sexual offender currently incarcerated at the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center, has chosen to represent himself in a civil lawsuit against Four-In-One, a condiment company.
Lettieri alleges that the company has engaged in deceptive advertising practices related to the labeling of its mustard packets. He is seeking $450,000 in damages, as reported by Fox News.
This legal action unfolds as Lettieri awaits sentencing for the enticement of a minor, a charge that carries a minimum penalty of a decade in prison.
Lettieri's complaint, submitted to the federal court of the Northern District of Ohio, centers on the mustard's listed ingredients: distilled vinegar, mustard seed, salt, turmeric, paprika, spices, and flavoring. He asserts that the terms "spices" and "flavoring" are vague and that he is unsure of what turmeric is.
In a document filed on August 25, Lettieri wrote, "The plaintiff under belief that mustard seed has a type of carbohydrate that has calories in it. The plaintiff knows salt is in sodium which has nutrition facts for a proper diet."
However, this is not Lettieri's first legal action since his incarceration. Reports indicate that he has filed "at least two dozen lawsuits," primarily targeting federal agents and challenging the grounds for his arrest.
District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo issued a stern warning to Lettieri, stating, "Lettieri is strongly cautioned that if he continues to file motions or other documents in this matter, he may be subject to sanctions, including, but not limited to, a filing injunction and fines."
Earlier this year, the Department of Justice provided details of Lettieri's arrest. He had traveled 200 miles from his home in Broome County, New York, to meet a 13-year-old girl in Wyoming County for a sexual encounter in a park. However, no sexual activity occurred between Lettieri and the minor.
The statement from the Department of Justice revealed, "Subsequent investigation recovered communications between Lettieri and the victim, including photos of the victim on Lettieris phone. Investigators also searched Lettieris Facebook account and recovered conversations between Lettieri, the Victim, and the Victims sister, which were sexual in nature. The Victims age was also revealed during the conversations."
These conversations included Lettieri soliciting sexual photos from the minor and extended to interactions with the victim's sister.
When questioned by FBI agents, Lettieri admitted to knowing the girl and her age. However, he claimed that his intention was not to engage in sexual activity with her but to "talk some sense into her" and "tell her that she was too young to have sex or communicate with men online."
In June, a jury found Lettieri guilty of the federal charge.
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