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.
