New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty to Unauthorized Recording of Newly Released Motion Pictures In Movie Theater

WASHINGTON, Feb. 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Keshawn Deron Wilson of Asbury Park, N.J., pleaded guilty today in Tampa, Fla., to federal charges of using a video camera to record then newly-released motion pictures in a New Jersey theater, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer and U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Florida A. Brian Albritton.

Keshawn Wilson, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas B. McCoun III to two counts of unauthorized recording of motion pictures in a motion picture exhibition facility. According to information presented in court, Wilson was arrested on Sept. 13, 2008, by Ocean Township, N.J., police officers, while he was in the process of recording Picturehouse Entertainment's then newly-released motion picture "The Women" at the Middlebrook Galleria 10 Clearview Cinemas in Ocean, N.J. At the time he was arrested, officers seized a high definition video camera with a 30 gigabyte hard drive from Wilson. A subsequent search of the camera's hard drive revealed a copy of the then newly-released movie "The Women" and a copy of Universal Studios' then newly-released movie "Burn After Reading," which Wilson admitted he recorded the previous day at the same theater.

Wilson faces a maximum sentence of six years in prison, a $500,000 fine, two years of supervised release following the prison term and an order of restitution. A sentencing date has not yet been set by the court.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Donald Hansen of the Middle District of Florida and Seth Kosto of the District of New Jersey, as well as Assistant Deputy Chief for Litigation Clement McGovern of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. This case was investigated by the FBI. The Motion Picture Association of America, an industry trade group that represents major producers and distributors of entertainment, including motion picture studios, provided assistance in this case.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice