Los Angeles

Covina Man Arrested on Suspicion of Price Gouging in Sale of Masks

Investigators allegedly found 21 boxes containing 420 N95 respirators during the arrest, police said.

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A Covina man was arrested for allegedly marking up the price of N95 masks and selling them online, authorities said Wednesday.

Johnwill Baldonado, 30, was arrested on Tuesday, booked on a misdemeanor price-gouging offense and released on $1,000 bail, according to the Baldwin Park Police Department and the sheriff's department.

Baldwin Park police investigators had received a tip "that a person was selling N95 respirators in Baldwin Park online at high, price-gouging prices,'' Baldwin Park police said in a statement.

"During a state of emergency the law prohibits charging a price that is more than 10% what an item cost before the state declaration of emergency,'' police said. "In an effort to protect our citizens Investigators we (were) able to identify, and locate the subject and make an arrest.''

A meeting was set up with the seller, identified as Baldonado, and investigators purchased a box of respirators for $300, police said.

Investigators allegedly found 21 boxes containing 420 N95 respirators during the arrest, police said.

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