Kissimmee Man Sentenced To More Than Two Years In Prison For Copyright Infringement And Pirating DVDs

Orlando, Florida - U.S. District Judge Charlene Edwards Honeywell today sentenced Patrick Jason Thomas (32, Kissimmee) to 2 and one-half years in federal prison for reproducing and distributing DVDs containing copyrighted movies. The court also ordered Thomas to forfeit approximately 10,000 pirated DVDs and several pieces of computer and DVD-copying equipment, which he used to produce the pirated DVDs. In addition, Thomas was ordered to pay the Motion Picture Association of American $100,000 in restitution. Thomas pleaded guilty on October 24, 2012.

According to court documents, on June 8, 2012, the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) executed a search warrant at Thomas’ home. During the search, agents discovered thousands of counterfeit DVDs and electronic equipment used to produce those counterfeit DVDs. For example, in the garage, agents found a metal shelving unit that held about 6,000 DVDs, along with plastic cases, and several binders of catalogued movies. Thomas used computer equipment to decrypt and extract copyright protected data from DVDs and Blu-Ray discs, and then reproduce and sell movies illegally.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Osceola County Sheriff's Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel C. Irick.