Terrytown Man Jailed for Recording Movies Without Permission
A 37-year-old man from Terrytown, Louisiana, has been found guilty of recording movies without permission and infringing on copyrights. Warren Stewart, 37, pleaded guilty to charges of unauthorized recording of a motion picture and criminal infringement of a copyright in a federal court.
According to investigators, Stewart used a digital camcorder to record the movie ‘Broken City’ at the AMC Westbank Palace 16 movie theater in Harvey, Louisiana, without authorization from the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA). He then uploaded the recorded movie to the internet, where it was shared with others who sought to obtain copies of the movie before its commercial release.
Stewart’s actions were not a one-time mistake. Investigators discovered that he had recorded eight other movies at the same theater between November 2012 and January 2013 without permission. He then sold duplicates of these movies to others.
But Stewart’s crimes didn’t stop there. He also copied and sold copyrighted musical works and motion pictures without authorization from the Recording Industry of America (RIAA) and the MPAA, respectively. A search of his residence in March 2012 turned up 9,063 pirated DVDs and 3,241 pirated CDs containing copyrighted material.
Stewart faces up to 8 years in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2013, at 9:00 a.m.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg.
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Key Facts
- State: Louisiana
- Category: Cybercrime|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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