Dominick J. Izzo admitted using an aluminum-lined bag to evade anti-theft systems.
TRENTON -- It's not uncommon to see book lovers with tote bags stroll the aisles of Barnes & Noble booksellers to load up on their favorite authors.
Dominick J. Izzo liked to collect a pile of new books as well, but for years, the Piscataway man walked out without paying for them.
Izzo, 49, Monday admitted before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson that he made hundreds of thousands of dollars stealing books from the nation's largest bookseller by stuffing them in a "booster bag" designed to evade anti-theft alarms.
The bag was lined with aluminum, court records say, which kept scanners from reading the anti-theft devices in the books.
Izzo admitted to stealing from Barnes & Noble stores in New Jersey, Florida and elsewhere and then selling the books on eBay using several aliases. Court records say he stole books from 2007 through 2014.
In entering his guilty plea, Izzo admitted to one count of transportation of stolen goods and one count of tax evasion.
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For the tax years 2009, 2010 and 2011, Izzo admitted he failed to report an aggregate of $399,485 in income, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. Izzo owes about $67,360 in taxes on that income, it says.
The transportation of stolen goods charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, it said. The tax evasion count carries a maximum of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, it said. Prosecutors also will seek forfeiture of the proceeds of Izzo's sales.
Sentencing is scheduled for June 10.
Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.