Michigan Woman Pleads Guilty to Selling More Than $400,000 in Counterfeit Business Software
WASHINGTON – A Michigan woman pleaded guilty today to selling more than $400,000 worth of counterfeit computer software, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer and U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade for the Eastern District of Michigan,
Jacinda Jones, 31, of Ypsilanti, Mich., pleaded guilty to one count of willful copyright infringement before U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson in Detroit. According to court documents, between July 2008 and January 2010, Jones earned more than $400,000 by selling over 7,000 copies of pirated business software at discounted prices through the website www.cheapdl.com . The software had a retail value of more than $2 million and was owned by several companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, Intuit and Symantec. According to court documents, Jones’ activities came to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who made several undercover purchases of the pirated business and utility software.
At sentencing, Jones faces maximum penalties of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. During her guilty plea hearing, Jones also agreed to forfeit any illegal proceeds from her criminal activity and pay restitution to the victims. Sentencing has been scheduled for Aug. 15, 2011, at 9 a.m.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The investigation was conducted by the Field Support Unit of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and by ICE’s Office of Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit.
Jacinda Jones, 31, of Ypsilanti, Mich., pleaded guilty to one count of willful copyright infringement before U.S. District Judge David M. Lawson in Detroit. According to court documents, between July 2008 and January 2010, Jones earned more than $400,000 by selling over 7,000 copies of pirated business software at discounted prices through the website www.cheapdl.com . The software had a retail value of more than $2 million and was owned by several companies, including Microsoft, Adobe, Intuit and Symantec. According to court documents, Jones’ activities came to the attention of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, who made several undercover purchases of the pirated business and utility software.
At sentencing, Jones faces maximum penalties of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine and three years of supervised release. During her guilty plea hearing, Jones also agreed to forfeit any illegal proceeds from her criminal activity and pay restitution to the victims. Sentencing has been scheduled for Aug. 15, 2011, at 9 a.m.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan and Trial Attorney Thomas Dougherty of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The investigation was conducted by the Field Support Unit of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) and by ICE’s Office of Homeland Security Investigations in Detroit.
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