Crime pays? Man makes $266,000 from piracy, given $1,200 fine and jail time

[admin]

Sometimes the punishment doesn't seem to fit the crime, and this is certainly one of those cases. According to PC World, one Timothy W. Hall from Mt. Vernon, Illinois had quite the business selling pirated content. How much money did he make? In his guilty plea he told the court he made $266,000 between 2001 to 2006 selling pirated console games as well as television shows and movies. He was found guilty on one count of criminal copyright infringement and fined $1,200. While the fine itself won't put a dent in his pocketbook, the 2 years he'll spend in jail could make others think twice about running similar businesses.

http://arstechnica.com/journals/thumbs.ars/2007/08/03/crime-pays-man-makes-266000-from-piracy-given-1200-fine-and-jail-time

So going after people who use Torrentspy, jailing people for camcording 20 seconds in cinemas, and then a $1,200 fine for a professional pirate even if it comes with a 2 year jail sentence?

[jm1647]

The symbol of justice in the US is blindfolded and holding a scale. If the scale tips to guilty, well they got ya.

With the 20 second camcorder it was probably the $500 reward (given by NATO I think) that caused the police to be called. I think the people calling the police and pressing charges should think twice or more before doing so, as well as the people doing the crime.

Like with the 3 strike law in the US people get 20 years to life for stealing a pack of cigarettes or a small amount of food if it is their 3rd offense.

And they let convicted child molesters and people that prey on the old outta jail??? It is the law and the way the system works but a little ridiculous IMO.