19-year-old faces five years in prison for streaming sporting events

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By Eric W. Dolan

A 19-year-old New York man faces up to five years in prison after federal authorities arrested him on Tuesday for allegedly streaming live copyrighted sporting events over the Internet.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced that Mohamed Ali was taken into custody at his home and charged with one count of criminal infringement of a copyright.

"Today's arrest sends a clear message to website operators who mistakenly believe it's worth the risk to take copyrighted programming and portray it as their own," ICE Director John Morton said in a statement.

"Protecting legitimate business interests are a priority for HSI, the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and our law enforcement partners. We are dedicated to protecting the jobs, the income and the tax revenue that disappear when organized criminals traffic in stolen content for their own profit."

More: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/08/25/19-year-old-faces-five-years-in-prison-for-streaming-sporting-events/

____________________________________________________________________________________________

Poor Mohamed...

[sudopod]

1. Yeah, I'm going to say that they wouldn't have come down so hard on a rich white kid.

Just sayin.

[msanthrope]

6. "Bryan McCarthy" was also charged. You should read the article. nt

[sudopod]

16. Ah, you're right

http://torrentfreak.com/feds-arrest-owner-of-seized-sports-streaming-domain-110304/

Apparently five years is the max they can go for. I read that as "what he's going to get."


My bad.

[tularetom]

2. Not sure how copyright infringement is a responsibility of ICE?

Or maybe the guy was targeted because of his name?

Gotta wonder.

[villager]

3. Let's you know what our corporate overlords *really* mean by "Homeland Security"

n/t

[-..__...]

17. The "C" in "ICE" stands for "Customs".

And since the Internet knows no borders, it becomes a customs thing.

I know it seems like a stretch... but, most likely it came about as a result of re-consolidation/jurisdiction responsibilities after 9/11.

Cyber Crimes Center

Report suspicious activity

1-866-DHS-2-ICE or [e-mail]

For tips to prevent and deter individuals from committing online child abuse: Virtual Global Task Force

Report suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at - http://www.missingkids.com
1-800-843-5678 or www.cybertipline.com

The Cyber Crimes Center (C3) Child Exploitation Section (CES) investigates the trans-border large scale production and distribution of images of child abuse, as well as individuals who travel abroad to engage in sex with minors. The CES employs the latest technology to collect evidence and track the activities of individuals and organized groups who sexually exploit children through the use of websites, chat rooms, newsgroups and peer-to-peer trading. These investigative activities are organized under Operation Predator, a program managed by the CES. The CES also conducts clandestine operations throughout the world to identify and apprehend violators. The CES assists the field offices and routinely coordinates major investigations. The CES works closely with law enforcement agencies from around the world because the exploitation of children is a matter of global importance.

C3 brings the full range of ICE computer and forensic assets together in a single location to combat such Internet-related crimes as:

* Possession, manufacture and distribution of images of child abuse;
* International money laundering and illegal cyber-banking;
* Illegal arms trafficking and illegal export of strategic/controlled commodities;
* Drug trafficking, including trafficking in prohibited pharmaceuticals;
* General smuggling, including trafficking in stolen art and antiquities and violations of the Endangered Species Act;
* Intellectual property rights violations, including music and software;
* Immigration violations; and
* Identity and benefit fraud.

http://www.ice.gov/cyber-crimes/

[upi402]

4. I can't be bothered; War Criminals are pitching their books on TV!

:grr: :sarcasm:

[nineteen50]

5. He should take up torture, no jail time for that

or destroying the economy and cheating the American people, no
jail time for that. He should have lied about it lying is free
speech.

[nineteen50]

7. Forgot

Should have shot a buddy in the face, no jail time for that but great apologies.

[Webster Green]

11. Indeed!

Welcome to DU! :hi:

[Webster Green]

10. Yep.

These things are just fine.

[ZombieHorde]

8. I hope he doesn't get a single day in prison.

I like copyright laws, but a prison sentence is just too much.

I suspect I won't need my flame shield for this one -as opposed to http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1794946">last time- since copyright infringement is a crime most DUers are cool with.

[Rabblevox]

9. He made $6,000. Yes it's a crime, but put it in perspective...

He stole intellectual property and profited from it. He knowingly and repeatedly broke the law. He SHOULD be punished, and do a bit of jail time.

But 5 freaking years??? That is beyond insane, when bankers who have knowingly stolen billions get a pass.

When the CEO's of Halliburton, Blackwater, BofA, and GE start getting 5-year sentences maybe I'll be more open to reason, but for now, all I can say is fuck!

[droidamus2]

13. Okay he made $6000

How about the guy running channelsurfing.net that was all free to the viewer. The fact is most the 'free' tv sites I've found have crappy video streams so I doubt they make much money. It is more about the sports leagues being able to soak those people who live outside their favorite teams viewing area. Like me I am a big 49er, SF Giants and Sacramento Kings fan. If I live in their area I can hear or see most of their games for free but I have to pay out the nose to get any kind of feed here in Vermont. As far as the rights these teams, leagues and networks make a load off of advertising, the games themselves, merchandizing, etc. Would it be too much for them to allow some of us who don't have a lot of money these days a chance to at least listen to our favorite teams games online. Of course not, US capitalism says that absolutely no service should ever be given away for free you must soak every last cent out of every consumer for every damn thing you can think of. Their idea seems to be 'screw the fans we are ONLY in this to make money'.

[Liberal_in_LA]

12. 5 years seems harsh.

[trud]

14. 5 years is about right

Glad to see some enforcement.

[LaurenG]

15. OMG this is just pathetic, seriously messed up pathetic

This country is a flippen mess, sick to the bone. Gah!