College Student Is the First Convicted Under the 1997 No Electronic Theft Act
September 1, 1999
A 22-year-old University of Oregon student pleaded guilty to a felony count
of criminal infringement of a copyright. He is scheduled to be sentenced
November 2. The University of Oregon noticed a large volume of traffic generated
by the student's Web site on its server and alerted law enforcement officials.
In investigating the Web site, the law enforcement officials discovered
thousands of pirated software programs, including movies and music recordings,
available for download from the site. The law enforcement officials also seized
computer-related equipment used to distribute pirated software online.
Under the 1997 No Electronic Theft Act, a defendant who distributes or
reproduces copyrighted work with a total value of more than $1000 can be charged
with a misdemeanor and face up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine. A
defendant who distributes or reproduces 10 or more copyrighted works with a
value of more than $2,500 can be charged with a felony and face up to three
years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
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