Man Uploads Episodes of ‘24′, Faces 3 Years Jail
Written by enigmax on June 04, 2007A man who uploaded four episodes of the hit series ‘24′ to a YouTube-style video hosting site has been tracked down by the FBI and is now being threatened with 3 years in a federal prison.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the FBI, following a high-profile leak, Chicago resident Jorge Romero uploaded the first 4 episodes of this season’s ‘24′ to a YouTube-style site before it aired on TV and is now facing 3 years in jail.
The FBI claim that Romero uploaded the first 2 episodes on January 6, followed by the next 2 episodes on January 7 and posted hyperlinks on other websites to ensure that the maximum number of people could find and view them. Romero apparently confessed that he previously downloaded the episodes from another web site before uploading them to LiveDigital.com.
Romero’s identity was reportedly revealed after Fox TV owner News Corp sent a subpoena to LiveDigital demanding the uploader’s details.
An FBI spokesman said, “Romero is charged in the criminal complaint with uploading copyrighted material to a publicly accessible computer network knowing the work was intended for commercial distribution.”
Fox TV put out a statement thanking the FBI for their work;
“We hope it will serve as a powerful warning that uploading copyrighted TV shows and movies to the Internet can be a crime with significant penalties and will be prosecuted as such. Video-hosting sites such as LiveDigital.com and YouTube are not copyright-free zones, and individuals like Jorge Romero who post episodes of television shows, particularly before they are even broadcast for the first time, will face harsh civil and criminal sanctions.”
Uploaders of pre-release copyright material are targeted by the FBI as these actions are considered criminal in the US and usually carry a custodial sentence, which is great for headline-grabbing when trying to deter future pirates. However, it is up for debate whether or not these pre-releases actually have any negative effect on viewing figures. Indeed, just this week the President of Lions Gate movies said that even though their latest blockbuster ‘Hostel: Part 2″ was leaked onto the internet, it would have “no meaningful impact” on box office takings.
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so does this mean that society at a whole is now punished again by feeding this guy for 3 years in a prison because he made sure that even more people know about this FOX series?
What had become of the original intend of copyrightlaw described in the constitution?
Housing/feeding this guy for 3 years serves the society as a whole exactly how?
Man, this guy is/was oviously a hardcore fan of the series and did not made any money from selling bootleg DVD’s for example. And the crap .flv shit videos on those video sites are not used to produce Pirated DVDs that get sold to american soldiers in asia!
WTF? You americans are so crazy that you let the big corporations rule you in such rediculous ways!
Is this story for real? Any official sources please? Sounds like a scare tactic from someone like Fox to me.
I believe the reason he is being punished is for distributing those four Episodes prior to their public release via the usual TV Network. Meaning: he obtained them illegally, then redistributed them illegally. I haven’t heard of a TV Network suing anyone for uploading/downloading their shows after they air, for which I’m grateful since that is the only way I’ve watched TV in the past 3 years.
3 years for copyright violation? Come on, let’s all say it together:
“crypto-fascist state”.
It is not about the money it is about the control. A few years ago it was incredibly difficult to be a hit as a musician without the major studios backing. Now anyone with talent and a webcam can be a star and even distribute there own music. This loss of control is very scary to the big money guys and they are respondig the only way they know how.
Not only is that about control, but it’s about how all those outraged Digg fans who “rose up” against the AACS don’t see the connection in opposing Murdoch in all areas, for example, in his attempt to buy the Wall Street Journal. Until bullies like FOX are able to hide their scare/control tactics on the down-lo either through the MPAA, DMCA or FBI, but then “charm” the Bancroft family for billions while the blogasphere is blind bec. that’s old media baby, little things like “free press” and “civil liberties” will continue to widdle away.
Check out the above USC Free Culture post for more.
What a load of horsesh*t
**most the time the networks themselves put those shows on the internet.. and I agree w/most everyone else.. I dont even watch TV anymore.. unless i hook my computer up to it and run the DVD player… Actually 24 lost me as a show by season 2..
i’d wish the FBI used their time for real criminals…
but anyhow , watching your favorite shows on the net when you want is better then waiting for it to show up on tv.. everyone should agree on that
I feel this way about it I dont have time to watch tv when they play it on the tv. So if i cant download it and watch it later guess what. i will not be watching it Besides i never heard of 24 till i ran across this blog. and paris hilton served 3 days in jail she got out she was DUI she could have killed someone this is watching TV something they put on a TV for the world to see whats the friggin diffrence! I can see them being pissed about a early realease on the inet. but 3 years give me a break there is murderers and child molesters and Homeless people that could use all these man hours THIS is why i hate the Gov taking out taxes in my paycheck i think i should be able to say where my tax dollors go to. This whole thing has gotten so over blown out of proportion its like having a battle of wits with a unarmed person. For gods sakes will everyone just grow up a little bit!
Do we as a consumer have anything right?
Take what they give you.. is that all we do now?
Well, it is a new world but mentality is still ancient. Money is Power.
Maybe he should get 24 months in prison…how ironic would that be?
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