Guilty plea in Tennessee copyright case
June 17, 2025
By Colin Mann
A Tennessee man has pleaded guilty to criminal copyright infringement after stealing and selling pre-release DVDs while employed at a DVD manufacturing facility in Memphis. The 37-year-old defendant signed a plea agreement admitting his illegal conduct and now faces potential prison time, a criminal fine, and an obligation to pay restitution to victims harmed by his actions.
The guilty plea comes three months after the defendant was indicted in February 2025 by a federal grand jury. The government’s criminal investigation was initiated after a referral by anti-piracy coalition the Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE).
“We commend the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Tennessee, the US Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Memphis Police Department for their strong enforcement in this case,” said Larissa Knapp, Executive Vice President and Chief Content Protection Officer for the Motion Picture Association (MPA). “The defendant’s guilty plea is a clear admission of criminal wrongdoing and a powerful reminder that piracy is theft, plain and simple. It harms creators, workers and the entire creative industry. ACE will continue to pursue those who undermine the creative economy and will work relentlessly with global law enforcement to bring them to justice.”
The case highlights the importance of industry and government collaboration in protecting copyrighted content and ensuring those who profit from piracy are brought to justice.
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