The first convictions for piracy across illegal file-sharing networks have been handed out by the US Department of Justice.
William Trowbridge of New York and Texas-based Michael Chicoine both faced charges of infringing copyright by sharing music, films and software across peer-to-peer networks. The men are the first to be convicted in a potential list of 7,000 individuals the RIAA aim to target this year.
50-year-old Trobridge and Chicoine, 47, both pleaded guilty to one charge of conspiracy to commit felony copyright infringement and one of acting for commercial advantage. They face up to five years in jail and a $250,000 fine, the Justice Department said in a statement Tuesday (Jan. 18).
Both men were part of a piracy ring known as the Underground Network, which was investigated by the FBI over the course of several months. The Bureau claim to have downloaded 84 movies, 178 sound recordings, 40 software programs and 13 games from five central 'hubs' facilitated by the group.
The pair were charged following raids last August under the FBI's 'Operation Digital Gridlock' initiative, and are due to be sentenced April 29 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
"Operation Digital Gridlock" was, according to DOJ, the 'first federal enforcement action ever taken against criminal copyright theft on peer-to-peer networks'.
"The Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia have made it clear that those who operate peer-to-peer systems to flout the law by intentionally trading in copyright works will face the consequences," commented RIAA vice-president Brad Buckles.
