San Jose Man Gets Over 2 Years In Prison For Counterfeiting Movies
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) - A 28-year-old San Jose man who admitted to making thousands of illegal copies of movies, including the film "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," was sentenced to two years and three months in prison for criminal copyright infringement.
Ricardo Blanco was given the prison term on Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Edward Davila.
Davila also ordered the forfeiture of 20,750 counterfeit movie DVDs, $53,000 in cash, and DVD copying equipment seized by FBI agents in searches in July 2011 of a home and a store Blanco operated in San Jose.
In addition, Blanco was ordered to pay $200,200 in restitution to the Motion Picture Association of America.
Blanco pleaded guilty before Davila in April to one count of criminal copyright infringement.
U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag said Blanco admitted in a plea agreement to selling illegal copies of movies in a corner of a store called Mia's Fashions that he operated in San Jose in 2011.
Haag said Blanco admitted that he made thousands of unauthorized copies of movies that included "Cars 2" and "X Men."
Blanco also acknowledged that he hired several people to make the DVD copies at a residence on South King Road in San Jose, Haag said.
Blanco has been in custody without bail since July 15, 2011.
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