Stay Curious. Stay Connected.
MailNewsletters♡Donate Now
Sign up
*Password must be at least 8 characters and contain one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, one number and one symbol.
Already have an account?
By submitting, you consent that you are at least 18 years of age and to receive information about MPR's or APMG entities' programs and offerings. The personally identifying information you provide will not be sold, shared, or used for purposes other than to communicate with you about MPR, APMG entities, and its sponsors. You may opt-out at any time clicking the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email communication. View our Privacy Policy.
Sign in to your profile
Forgot Password?
New to MPR News?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Reset Password

Enter the username on file and we'll send you a code to reset your password.

Still require assistance or not sure what your User Name is?
Welcome back
to news
for you
Email Verification

A verification code has been emailed to

Still awaiting the code?
Elizabeth Baier and Madeleine Baran
St. Paul, Minn.

Man charged in Cabela's tag-switching scam sentenced to one year

Go Deeper.

Create an account or log in to save stories.

Like this?

Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.

A Texas man charged with defrauding a Cabela's store of thousands of dollars worth of merchandise was sentenced today to one year in the Hennepin County Adult Correctional Facility.

The Hennepin County District Court also ruled that Michael Gura, 53, cannot be a registered Amazon.com or eBay.com user. If Gura commits another crime within the next three years, he will serve 34 months in prison.

Gura, of Fort Worth, was allegedly printing out fake UPC labels in his car, then taking them into the Cabela's in Rogers, Minn., and pasting them onto high-value merchandise, according to a complaint filed with the Hennepin County Attorney's office in June.

Authorities believe Gura took as much as $100,000 worth of merchandise from Cabela's stores around the country using a similar method, and then selling it on Amazon.com, Gunbroker.com and eBay.com.

He pleaded guilty on June 25 to four of nine felony counts, including possession of burglary or theft, theft by swindle, possession of burglary or theft, and receiving stolen property, according to the Hennepin County Attorney's office.

According to the complaint, on May 28, Gura asked a sales associate at the Cabela's in Rogers for a set of Leice Geovid brand binoculars, which retail for $2,395.

Because of the value of the binoculars, loss prevention officers started to follow Gura using closed circuit television monitors.

Officials believe Gura then entered the store's clothing department and switched the tickets on the binoculars. Once he got to the cash register, he proceeded to pay for the binoculars, which rang up for $109.99, the complaint said.

Gura made it to the parking lot, when officers with the Rogers Police Department arrested him and transported him to the Hennepin County jail.

Deputies there found four bar code stickers in his pocket, two of which matched the bar code sticker that was placed on the binoculars, the complaint said.

Investigators said that Gura had been in the store the previous day and bought an additional $4,065 worth of merchandise, but only paid $368 after swapping out the bar codes.

A search of Gura's car found 166 fraudulent bar codes, which authorities believe he made on a laptop computer in his car, according to the complaint.