Air Force Vet Gets Year for Streaming Piracy

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Franklin Valverde Jr., 40, of Melbourne, Florida, is trading in his retirement for a federal cell after being sentenced to one year and one day in prison for illegally selling access to Dish Network and Sling TV streaming services. The sentencing marks what authorities believe is the first conviction nationwide under the “Protecting Lawful Streaming Act” (PLSA), a law passed in 2021 aimed at cracking down on for-profit digital piracy.

Valverde, a former Air Force member stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, built a lucrative side hustle by peddling access codes to a vast library of copyrighted content. Court evidence revealed he raked in hundreds of thousands of dollars by charging customers a mere $10 a month for the ability to bypass legitimate subscriptions and illegally stream everything from pay-per-view sporting events to the latest movies and TV shows. He didn’t just sell the codes; Valverde also provided the apps and websites needed to actually use them, turning a tidy profit on stolen intellectual property.

The PLSA, quietly slipped into the 2020 COVID-19 Stimulus Bill, isn’t about going after the viewers. It’s laser-focused on the individuals and operations that profit from large-scale, commercial streaming piracy. While everyday users of illegal apps remain outside the scope of the law, those running the schemes, like Valverde, are now facing serious federal consequences. The Department of Justice is signaling this is just the beginning of a broader crackdown on illegal streaming operations.

U.S. District Judge Mary G. Lewis didn’t show Valverde any leniency. The sentence of 12 months and one day is followed by a three-year term of court-ordered supervision. But the financial hit is even steeper: Valverde is on the hook for $22,639.27 in restitution to the copyright holders, and a hefty $250,000 fine. Forget about early release – there’s no parole in the federal system.

The FBI Columbia Field Office spearheaded the investigation, meticulously building a case against Valverde. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson skillfully prosecuted the case, securing the landmark conviction. This case serves as a stark warning: profiting from stolen content carries significant risk, and the long arm of the law is now reaching into the shadows of illegal streaming.

Valverde’s case demonstrates the federal government’s commitment to protecting intellectual property rights in the digital age. While the streaming landscape continues to evolve, one thing is clear: those who seek to profit from illegal access will face the full force of the law. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on future developments in the fight against digital piracy.