Federal authorities say a Warren man hasn’t been selling “the real thing” to area restaurants. Officials say Cecil Donald St. Pierre has been offering a generic syrup for use in fountain drink dispensers, but labeling it as Coca-Cola.

St. Pierre told The Detroit News outside federal court in Detroit on Thursday that his customers know it is not Coca-Cola. He says he uses Coke boxes but puts his own labeling on top.

Federal officials have charged St. Pierre, 69, with conspiracy, trafficking in counterfeit goods, mislabeling a food product and operating a food processing plant without federal registration.

The trafficking charge is a 10-year felony.

___

Information from: The Detroit News, http://www.detnews.com