Greenbelt, Maryland - Dwayne Scott, age 55, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to copyright infringement in connection with his reproduction and distribution of copyrighted works, including movies.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Andre Watson of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); and Commissioner Kevin Davis of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, Dwayne Scott was a corporate officer and registered agent of Hard Times Discount Clothing and Accessories in Baltimore. On four occasions between Sept. 11, 2012 and August 6, 2015, law enforcement executed search warrants at Hard Times. On each occasion, law enforcement seized large numbers of CDs and DVDs of copyrighted works, which Scott had reproduced and distributed without the permission of the copyright holders. Scott admitted selling CDs and DVDs of copyrighted works for profit.
Specifically, on Sept. 11, 2012, members of the Baltimore Police Department executed a search warrant at Hard Times in connection with a stolen property investigation. Subsequently, on Jan. 29, 2014 and Feb. 3, 2015, an undercover officer purchased DVDs from Hard Times. Each of the DVDs contained copyrighted movies that Scott had reproduced and distributed without permission. On April 16, 2014, Feb. 24, 2015 and August 6, 2015, HSI Special Agents executed federal search warrants at Hard Times. In the back room of the business law enforcement found hundreds of CDs and DVDs containing copyrighted works which Scott had illegally reproduced and distributed. In addition, law enforcement located laptop computers actively downloading copyrighted movies from internet file sharing programs.
Scott faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison for copyright infringement. As part of his plea agreement, Scott will also be required to pay restitution of $15,001 and to forfeit the computers, hard drives, cell phones, CDs and DVDs, and other items seized during the search warrants. U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has scheduled sentencing for April 11, 2016, at 9:30 a.m.
The enforcement action announced today is related to the many efforts being undertaken by the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property (IP Task Force). The IP Task Force supports prosecution priorities, promotes innovation through heightened civil enforcement, enhances coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, and focuses on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders. To learn more about the IP Task Force, go to www.justice.gov/iptf.
HSI manages the IPR Center, one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. As a task force, the IPR Center uses the expertise of its 21 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters. To report IP theft or to learn more about the HSI-led IPR Center, visit www.IPRCenter.gov.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked HSI Baltimore and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Motion Picture Association of America for its assistance. Mr. Rosenstein praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicolas A. Mitchell, who is handling the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
