Game Pirate Walks the Plank
Don’t think that movie pirates are the only ones getting the squeeze from the authorities. An American entrepreneur has found out the hard way that the law isn’t joking around anymore.
Dashiell Ponce de Leon, of Richmond, TX, had already been wrapped on the wrists for video game piracy by the courts. In 2001, he faced class action suits from several ESA members and was forced to apologize in writing to the offended parties. This lenient stance did little to dissuade him and he apparently began pirating again shortly after the end of his trial.
He had himself a pretty sweet little thing going, selling pirated video games and software on the internet. Unfortunately for him, his little business venture, which has netted him over $190, 000 in personal revenue, again caught the eye of the powers that be, and was brought to an abrupt and painful halt. In his latest trial, where he plead guilty, he found out just how much piracy can cost. A judge in the Texas court system, wanting to cement the notion that piracy of any kind is illegal, has made a rather large example of Ponce de Leon, sentencing him to four years of jail time and slapping him with a monstrous $1 million dollar fine.
Ouch.
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2 opinions for Game Pirate Walks the Plank
Matt
Oct 14, 2005 at 4:58 am
Arrrrr
Sorry I had the overwhelming urge to say it. Don’t hurt me!
Erin
Oct 14, 2005 at 10:19 am
He’ll be needin’ all his traysure to git outta this’un!
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