First Piracy Arrests in California

Yesterday the MPAA announced that in the past week there have been two arrests for movie piracy. Both happened to be in Los Angeles and at Pacific Theatres.

The first arrest occured on Saturday 4/10 at Pacific’s Grove Theatre where Min Jae Joun was arrested for using his camcorder to record The Passion of the Christ. He has since been released on bail and set for a trial in early May.

Also arrested on suspicion of the misdemeanor charge was Ruben Centeno Moreno, who allegedly recorded “The Alamo” on April 12 at the Pacific Winnetka Theatre in Chatsworth. A projectionist observed a light from the video camera and confirmed it using night-vision goggles. I was actually at the theatre with SWG and saw Mr. Moreno walked out by the police.

This new law went into place in California at the beginning of the year making film piracy a misdemeanor offense and punishable with up to a year in jail. The MPAA is hoping that this will send a message to everyone about the seriousness of film piracy and its consequences.

Read more about this in a recent article in the Hollywood Reporter.

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