Cedar Rapids Bootlegger Admits DVD & CD Scam

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA – A Cedar Rapids man is facing federal time after admitting he flooded the local market with thousands of illegal copies of movies and music. Steven Brown, 45, pleaded guilty today to one count of copyright infringement in U.S. District Court.

According to court documents, Brown wasn’t just dabbling – he was running a full-blown bootlegging operation. Between December 2012 and February 2013, Brown manufactured and offered for sale a staggering 1,510 counterfeit DVDs and 492 counterfeit CDs. This wasn’t a hobby; it was a calculated attempt to profit from stolen intellectual property.

Federal prosecutors laid out the financial impact at the plea hearing: the counterfeit goods had a total retail value exceeding $25,000. That’s $25,000 ripped away from the legitimate film and music industries, and a clear indication of the scale of Brown’s criminal enterprise. He wasn’t just copying a few movies for friends; he was actively selling them for profit.

Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Morfitt is prosecuting the case, with the investigation spearheaded by the Department of Homeland Security. They traced the operation back to Brown, and built a case strong enough to secure a guilty plea. The Department of Homeland Security’s involvement points to the broader national security implications of counterfeit operations – often linked to more serious criminal activity.

Chief Judge Linda R. Reade will determine Brown’s fate after a presentence report is compiled. For now, Brown remains free under court supervision, but that won’t last. He’s looking at a possible maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, a hefty $250,000 fine, $100 in special assessments, and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Court file information, including case number 14-CR-00080, is publicly available at https://ecf.iand.uscourts.gov/. This case serves as a reminder that copyright infringement is a serious federal crime with significant consequences, and those who profit from stolen content will be held accountable.