Here’s the latest log from the FBI’s last bust record. I assume that Jacobson didn’t cop a plea and is going to fight the charges since there is no mention of his disposition. That said does anyone but me think that 30 months in prison for an apparent $34,000 in alleged sales of discs or whatever is a little steep? It costs the taxpayers $40,000 a year to keep someone in jail. So the taxpayers are footing $120,000 because someone bootlegged next to nothing in movies or songs? Hey, this sucks. Make the movie industry set up their own prisons and pay for them with their profits if they are going to imprison these small fry at the drop of a hat. There are better things to do with law enforcement resources than this. Talk about a taxpayer screw job. Get over the fact that rinky-dink piracy is not high priority in the age of terrorism, gang violence, drug smuggling, armed robbery and bloody wars.
Colin Roy Jacobson, of Alexandria, Va., pleaded guilty to assisting in criminal copyright infringement, admitting that he sold advance copies of at least 31 movies to a known warez supplier between July 2001 and June 2005.
The following individuals were sentenced for their involvement in criminal copyright infringement:
· Mark G. Carter, II, 29, of Upland, Calif., was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $34,964 in restitution after pleading guilty in December 2005. He will begin serving his sentence on October 26, 2006.
· Ryan Zeman, 23, of Rohnert Park, Calif., was sentenced to three years probation, four months home confinement, four months community confinement, and required to pay $120,000 in restitution after pleading guilty in October 2005.
· Gregory Dickman, 25, of Wilmington, N.C., was sentenced to 8 months home confinement, three years of probation and ordered to pay $31,515 in restitution after pleading guilty in April 2006.
· Johnny Russell, 24, of Spring, Texas, was sentenced to 8 months in a community confinement facility, three years of probation, and ordered to pay $11,508 in restitution after pleading guilty in April of 2006.
When you compare notes here, I’d suggest that Mark Carter got screwed.
That’s a relatively short sighted cost assessment.
Consider what the Media giants pay to:
*) harass the parents of kids who download music.
*) lobby to control our handling of media
*) strike deals with hardware manufactures to control our handling of media.
The media Giants chase down regular people because they claim they can’t catch the real pirates (though they don’t really admit to it this way). So perhaps, catching a real pirate is a good thing.
Well since the govt solved hunger, homelessness,crime, ended terriosm, stopped war, ended corruption, and made this world safe for all god fearing americans then its only natural for them to go after the big reason for greed and hate and crime.
piracy.
I love how this shows that money talks and poor people walk.
35000 dollars is about 5000 dvds i guess. Plus this is exactly the type of DVD sales they really want to go after. The movies are still in theaters, so it can’t even be called DVD copying. I don’t know how you could say the one guy didn’t cop a plea when the first sentence says hepled guilty.
#1- the funny thing about the real pirate or the “source” is in the industry itself. Thats where it all comes from. everything that i received when i was into warez was from a studio (or a academy voter) Hollywood cant admit that piracy comes from within. Its everyone elses fault.
Okay big film industry is happy. They have a stick to waive at the pirates (stick is the court result).
This will end up in an Appeals court, which might reduce the amount. as it does not equate to other crimes in society. But I admit I do not understand the appeals process.
Let the recording industry open their own prisons? Should we let the families of murder victims foot the bill to keep the killer in jail. Please.
I realize most here are very pro music sharing, however, these guys are obvious pirates in it for a quick buck. If you defend their actions you are undermining the file sharing argument by aligning with these guys.
Look at it like this, prison is partially to punish but also to deter others from a similar path. If five others see this punishment and decide not to try it there is a net savings. You can argue if the savings are there but this is what i is all predicated on.
John, what a strained, almost ridiculous analysis of the situation:
1. You have no idea how the pleas played out. It is not a secret that sentences and other punishments are based upon lots of factors, including the truthfulness and cooperation of the indictees. Don’t like the punishment, or are innocent, go to trial.
2. I start to get very uncomfortable when punishments are based upon the “victim” and not the actual crime. Assuming that we can agree there was an economic loss/crime involved of some amount, I don’t think arguments like some victims could afford it makes it any less a crime. That is why are laws are set up with ideas like felonies start at a particular $ amount, not a percentage of the victims assets.
Personally, I also don’t think the victims “thoughts” should matter either, and I am an extreme opponent of “hate crime” statutes where people serve extra time for yelling slurs, etc. Killing someone for no reason is not “better” than killing someone because they are ‘whatever’.
Interesting that they can find someone useing P2P(probably), but cant find all those folks making Bots, and Virus in POPUPs, from business’s that PAY them for the POPUPs.
I think they have found 3?? persons in 10 years??
John, all my criticisms for your supporting movie and music downloads were unwarranted. Now it’s clear you support ALL forms of piracy including selling DVDs in stores.
How about the guy that has to pay $120,000
Justice and fairness all depend on the quality of the lawyers you can afford to hire. This is why it pays to be a major white collar criminal but not a minor one.