L.A. Xbox Pirates Indicted Options

[Xbox-Scene]

L.A. Xbox Pirates Indicted -- Posted by XanTium on January 13 12:55 EST
From gamasutra.com:
[QUOTE]
Two Hollywood video game store owners (ACME Game Store) and a third man who were charged in December for allegedly pirating video games and installing them on modified Microsoft Corp. Xbox consoles were indicted on Thursday, according to the United States Attorney's Office in Los Angeles.

The men installed mod-chips and larger hard drives into Xbox consoles to allow them to play pirated games. The group was caught when private investigators working for the Entertainment Software Alliance conducted a sting during which they bought a modded Xbox for $265, complete 77 pirated games and a mod-chip.

The three have been accused of violating the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and face up to 17 years in prison.
They are scheduled an initial appearance in United States District Court in Los Angeles on Jan. 30.
[/QUOTE]

Read More: gamasutra.com, next-gen.biz.

[jungec]

17 years is a long time for 265 dollars.

[r50la]

My man Patrick doesn't deserve that kind of crap. 17years is a hell of a long time to serve for that. That's worse than a cocaine dealer!

I hope the outcome is probation and some small fines.

[Tobb555]

while 17 years in a long time, its people like this that make the rest of the modding world look bad.

[Bizquick]

17 years of being raped is a long time I wish judge's acutaly knew somthing about the crime to justify that time frame. I guess it shows crime could be painfull no matter what you do wrong. I think they should honestly go after drug offendors before going after video game copiers. I mean if it was such a bad crime why does MS run XBMC on some of the older xbox's at the MS campus. And the download the source many times to see what code they can use. and I know for a fact they have over 1000 gig's of mp3 songs on their servers.

[hexland]

I'm getting increasingly pissed at the inference that the press make concerning stories like this... i.e. that they were found guilty of modding the hardware. It is not illegal (yet) to modify your xbox (and there are legitimate uses for a modded Xbox other than running pirated games) - they were convicted because they were stupid enough to pre-load the hard disk with copyrighted, pirated games and reselling them.

However, I agree, that 17 years is just stupid... the legal system needs to get its priorities straight - I could do more jail time for copying an xbox game or downloading some MP3's, than I would for raping and murdering someone

[pcrat]

Yes the united states is pretty much now the most pathetic country in the world.
lets take a look at this, as you all did,

We play games for fun, of course, theres really no other earthly reason to play games, Correct?

ok, next, yes we do stupid things like COPY them and some morons do RESELL them,
other people BUY the copys so they can go home and PLAY them for ENTERTAINMENT.

now, we get cought, and go to court. and THE united states of america Sends someone to Prison....(Define Prison: A place for people who are a THREAT to society!!!!) FOR 17 years!!!! 17 years is a long time in a human beings life. just for entertainment. yes we did something wrong, but is he REALLY a threat to sociaty. did what he do actually show that he can HARM someone phisically. thats what our prisions are for. not for copyright infringements.

and the government wonders why we screw them. Personally, i live in the usa. I dont sell copys. im not in it for the money. but as long as the govt screws us, piss on the govt. take what ya can while ya can, because sooner or later they WILL screw ya.

there.

oh by the way, did anyone hear anymore about those hackers who stole those xbox360 sdks? last time i heard they cought only two of them lol.

Later.

[i800phyco]

Well 77 pirated games times $50 = $3850.
And that's for just one console they sold, let's say they sold 50 that's $192,500.
Why should they not go to jail ?
I mean there not going after modchip installer's there going after people who are making ton's of money
stealing software, I think there getting what they asked for.

This post has been edited by i800phyco: Jan 13 2006, 08:03 PM

[Bizquick]

Well 77 pirated games times $50 = $3850.
And that's for just one console they sold, let's say they sold 50 that's $192,500.
Why should they not go to jail ?
I mean there not going after modchip installer's there going after people who are making ton's of money
stealing software, I think there getting what they asked for.

Some might agree with what you say. But last I checked not all games cost 50.00 and most of the time the price drops down 4 months after release. So I don't know about 192,500. but I do agree with most people these guys are dumb to resell the copyed games I'm never that dumb. hell I'll burn a copy of one for ya but don't offer me money. Just repace my blank disc unless your my family then its yours. but with your logic M$ would fall under the same catagory. now I know they have over 1000 gig of MP3 music that the employess share with each other. so does that mean the same thing that like Bill Gates and all of them should get the same thing 20+years of raping in prision? I don't think so I mean he should get time for other things like when he got his speeding ticket and no insurance. but it was cheaper for him to pay that ticket than to fight it.

[vileknave]

Well 77 pirated games times $50 = $3850.
And that's for just one console they sold, let's say they sold 50 that's $192,500.
Why should they not go to jail ?
I mean there not going after modchip installer's there going after people who are making ton's of money
stealing software, I think there getting what they asked for.

No one here is saying they shouldn't go to prison. But for 17 years?

[i800phyco]

They wont get 17 years.
I bet they get very little if any time.

20+years of raping in prision?

Rape is very uncomon in prison you watch to many movie's.

This post has been edited by i800phyco: Jan 13 2006, 08:26 PM

[xboxexpert]

They wont get 17 years.
I bet they get very little if any time.

Rape is very uncomon in prison you watch to many movie's.

^ Dont do drugs...

[i800phyco]

^ Dont do drugs... tongue.gif

Pehaps you should start.

[Trekboy]

Long time lurker, first time poster.

I agree with much of the sentiment expressed here. What about that guy in Virginia who repeatedly raped a young girl from the time she was 6 until she was 10. He only got 2 MONTHS in jail. This definitely shows what a messed up sense of priorities/justice our country can have...

[TheMasGaster]

17 years of being raped is a long time I wish judge's acutaly knew somthing about the crime to justify that time frame.

It's not the judiciary, Acts like this are passed by the legislature (who I'm sure are given some spectacular gizmos for passing such pro-Gates legislation). I agree that it is very unlikely that they will get 17 years in prison. With that being said, these guys need to get a clue--running a business like that, it was bound to happen.