Related Federal Cases
- Pirate App Rings Busted, 6 Charged in Georgia · Michigan
- Luxury Auto Ring Busted in Charlotte · Mississippi
- Berea Pharmacist Lonnie Hubbard Convicted of Pill & Pseudoephedrine Ring · Georgia
- Three Website Domains Seized in Android App Piracy Crackdown · Mississippi
- FDIC Appoints Five New Members to Advisory Committee on Community Banking · Mississippi
Pirate App Ring Member Pleads Guilty
A leading member of an online piracy group pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to distribute more than one million pirated copies of copyrighted Android mobile device applications, or apps, with a total retail value of more than $1.7 million.
Scott Walton, 28, of Cleveland, Ohio, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement before U.S. District Judge Timothy C. Batten Sr. of the Northern District of Georgia. Walton will be sentenced at a later date.
A second co-conspirator, Kody Jon Peterson, 22, of Clermont, Florida, pleaded guilty to an information on April 14, 2014, for his role in the conspiracy.
According to statements made in court, Walton and his fellow conspirators identified themselves as members of the SnappzMarket Group. From May 2011 through August 2012, they conspired to reproduce and distribute over one million copies of copyrighted Android mobile device apps. The apps had a total retail value of over $1.7 million and were distributed through the SnappzMarket alternative online market without permission from the victim copyright owners, who would otherwise sell copies of the apps on legitimate online markets for a fee.
The indictment charges Walton and two other leading members of the SnappzMarket Group with conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement and related charges for allegedly distributing the copyrighted Android mobile devices apps through the group’s website, www.snappzmarket.com. On Aug. 21, 2012, the FBI executed a seizure order against the website, which was the first time a website domain involving mobile device app marketplaces had been seized.
The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Deputy Chief John H. Zacharia of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Bly of the Northern District of Georgia. Significant assistance was provided by the CCIPS Cybercrime Lab and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
RELATED: Pirate App Rings Busted, 6 Charged in Georgia
Key Facts
- State: Georgia
- Category: Cybercrime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
MORE FEDERAL CRIME NEWS
CybercrimeCybercrimeCybercrimeCybercrime