May you never have to see those bars again, I wanted to post a Gif of Jack Sparrow saluting but I could not find the button do so, but basically I wanted give respect so here is link: [https://youtube.com/shorts/75eqPX8BIaU?si=s-akhGfIhZ7i9yUd](https://youtube.com/shorts/75eqPX8BIaU?si=s-akhGfIhZ7i9yUd)
Thank you. Then you are very familiar with the broken system. I actually do consider myself lucky. The Government asked for 12 years, my own lawyer asked for 7 (without consulting me), and the Judge gave me 5 (60 Months). I used the time the best I could, mostly buried in books and the law library, with a plan do to exactly what I'm doing now: Fight for a better copyright law. Thank you again for your comments.
Hey while youre in that prisons law library notice those books have a steep msrp? Notice the xerox machine? Fun fact if youre indigent you can get a set number of copies per visit and the market for those copied books is nonzero.
Ha! I wish it was that easy. Getting the copier to work and stay working was a miracle. But I really dug the prison library, alot of good legal work was and is being done there... Especially at USP Lewisburg...
I was initially going to write you off as " you get what you deserve" for selling pirated copies, but then I read on to see that you were only selling "pirated" copies of abandonware video or to use the proper term orphan works. Good luck
Thank you, I posted here to get into some compelling discussions about the ethical and legal aspects of my case. And I can already tell this is to do it. I've tried over other c0pyright subreddit, but all I get there is hatred and downvotes. Thank you again for your response.
I'm going to be completely honest with you dude. Selling anything that's copyrighted puts a target on your back and, even if it's abandonware, charging for it is a bit scummy. Most people who share, do it for free or at most ask for a donation to keep servers running.
You don't deserve 60 months in prison for it but it really shouldn't be surprising. Copyright law heavily favors the copyright holder and as soon as money is exchanged, it becomes a lot easier to take someone down for it.
I agree. Over here in Australia the laws are a lot softer with copyright. No one uses a VPN and the only people I’ve ever seen in trouble with the law are the ones trying to make money out of it. He’s still making money off of something that never belonged to him.
No buttsex, for me anyway, regular camp prison except for couple months in the hole and 5 days in Brooklyn, which was probably as close to a real prison as I got. But prison is prison.
You could have a tough case here, at least according to my limited knowledge of the situation: if you win it could create case law, which is a no-no for the interests of certain people who also profit from this but who unlike you probably have money to spare and contacts to move with the legal system unmolested (A classic "rules for you but not for me").
What a great "Department of Justice", they put normal people in prison for almost a decade for the simplest deviation with no chance of defense (constantly appealing a case until the opposing party runs out of resources is not justice, I don't even understand how it's legal) while people who really should be in jail run free on the streets.
I hope you can resolve your case, even if I don't have much hope for it. There could be interests involved and if that is the case they will not let you win or they will keep harassing you until you get tired.
So you were more caught because of the selling, correct? They didn’t catch you because of the downloading? Did they present any evidence about the downloading?
I mean you're selling stuff, so you're not in the right here.
That doesnt mean I agree with the case and them going against you, specially if its "abandonwere" stuff but yeah, based on current laws,as shitty as they are, you're the "bad guy" here.
Honest question because overall I agree with you that Orphan Works needing to be addressed and losing this stuff to time really sucks.
That said, Why did you think it was okay to run a business on the back of these "lost" films?
Most crackers/archivists/pirates don't charge actual money for what they do. They do it purely as a hobby and at most ask for a donation to cover costs.
Just my opinion but opening a store to compete with Blockbuster/Hollywood Video selling pirated goods was always going to be a *fuck around and find out* scenario. When those stores were around they didn't just burn their own DVDs and rent them out. They had to buy pricier commercial versions specifically for the purpose of video rentals.
This whole thing seems like it was a get rich quick scheme that wasn't well thought out and now that you've been caught, you're trying to say it was for the good of film.
Thank you for your comments. I didn’t open a store to sell pirated goods. In fact when I first started providing them to my loyal customers I gave them away at a loss and only to select few. But after researching the law particularly concerning Orphan Works and Fair Use I decided to experiment with this site. Yes, it grew somewhat large but there over 100k or more Orphan Work films out there, I sold 200 well-researched titles. Honestly I got more into making website and researching the titles then trying to get rich quick. Hope that answers your question. My stores and other e-commerce sites were far more successful money-wise. It was a hobby that got out of hand and now it’s a fight for the legal clarification of the Fair Use of Orphan Works. Thanks again.
Fair enough. For the record. I don't think you deserved prison time over selling some pirated DVDs. That said, it doesn't really seem worth the crusade without a lawyer to back you up.
Generally these types of cases go nowhere if a lawyer isn't willing to take it on and after watching my mother waste years trying to go after the government for being wrongfully terminated from her state job, it became such an obsession for her that it ruined her mental health.
Is it really worth spending forever trying to fix this when time is limited and easily could take years to only be told too bad?
You charged money? On what grounds? You don't own the media you don't have a right to make a profit, you messed up and you deserve the punishment.
60 months that's wack tough
Orphan works. What if the creator doesn’t want it out there anymore? Maybe the creators are fighting with the movie companies over rights?
There’s a million and one reasons why a film isn’t out on dvd or bluray. And this never belonged to you. You shouldn’t make money on something you had nothing to do with. I’d feel more sorry for you if you were giving them to customers as a gift saying “sorry I can’t get that film in, but rent a film next week and you may have a surprise”
There is no need to feel sorry for me. I am right where I want to be. Copyright is for the betterment of society. Lose the focus on the creators finances. It was never about that. That is corporate propaganda but thank you for your comments.
I have and “they” have, I’m ok with it. Besides it’s not about me, you or any individual artist. Copyright is for society, not the gold in single artist pocket or, more importantly in a corporate vault. I know it’s tough to understand and as a creator, it took me a long time to get here. I just want a copyright law that comes close to the original purpose of the law. Thank you for your comments.
Look, you off in La La land if you think you have any chance of winning. I’ll be honest, I pirate as well but I have NEVER tried to make money out of someone else’s work.
I’ve already won. I stood up for something I believe in, no matter the personal cost to me. One more time: it’s not about $$$. Let that go. That’s just corporate brainwashing.
Good question. My answer is this: why didn’t google just give the phones away? That probably is the biggest Fair Use case ever and was going on while I being investigated: Oracle vs Google. 10 billion dollars. Took ten years to decide it. Supreme Court said Fair use. My case is the first criminal case in US history to deal with the Fair Use of Orphan Works. I should roll over cause some prosecutor in Bangor, Maine says I committed a crime? Nah, I want a shot at the Supremes too. I can wait. The future is too important. Do you still think this is just about money? Dude, I’ve lost everything because of this. I’m all the way in.
It has always baffled me that content which isn’t being distributed can be protected under copyright - the whole point is to protect your ability to commercialize the creative work.
If you’ve failed to commercialize the work(or make reasonable efforts thereto - don’t want to burn indie creators looking for distribution) for somewhere between 2-5 years, and there is demand, I see no reason why consumers shouldn’t be allowed to find an available source (or at the very least, someone with a reasonable stake in the work, like the original writer(s)/director(s)/producer(s), should be able to petition the courts to reclaim the work for their own distribution).
I agree 100%. And my inability to find clarity in copyright law is what lead me to this case and continues to me to keep fighting. Fair use of Orphan Works it’s my mantra….
Can’t share your vision or idea as long as you make money out of something you don’t have any right to.
Again: if your point is that we talking abandonware and going against corporates as I look at it you are playing the same exact game of theirs. Making money.
Thank you for your comment. Hopefully, we’ll figure out the orphan works problem without you. Cause Congress isn’t going to do it. They had two shots and blew it. The Supreme Court is the last hope. And that’s where I’m at right now. Thanks again.
You were selling large volumes of pirated discs of copyrighted movies you didn't own. You're not going to win this case. You'd be better served saving the money you're inevitably going to lose on countless appeals.
You are aware you could have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars, right?
It was proven, and you admitted here, that you were selling pirated content. You got caught. Sucks to be you, but you knew the risks.
Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but what exactly do you think is wrong about this? And, I really hope the associated studios don’t sue you as per their rights.
Yes, I am quite familiar with current copyright laws, which is precisely why I am fighting this case. The law has strayed far from its original purpose, which was to "**promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts.**" It's time we as a society bring it back to its intended role, fostering creativity and innovation rather than stifling them.
I admit to copying and distributing films that I considered to be orphan works. Your tone suggests you might be a prosecutor or perhaps a corporate lawyer – not that there's anything wrong with those professions.
My due process was violated. United States v. Gordon was the first criminal copyright infringement case in U.S. history to address the fair use of orphan works. It's essential to ensure that the legal process is carried out correctly and lawfully.
The "victims" in this case had ample opportunity to claim any losses caused by my actions. To the likely disappointment of the Department of Justice, none did.
Furthermore, the statute of limitations for civil copyright actions is three years, a fact I'm sure you are aware of.
When did I say that? My original intentions was to provide rare movies to my customers, which upon learning of Fair Use and Orphan Works, it became an enterprise. It only became a fight for better copyright after the DOJ charged me, and I read the works of James Boyle, Aaron Swartz. To name a few. That’s ok if you think it’s BS, that’s your right and it doesn’t really affect my fight. Thanks!
So, you absolutely can testify that you did not sell any copies of movies, shows or music that was not under copyright?
Strikes me as odd, seeing as you were convicted. Some studios do not offer their products on dvd for a reason. It’s not up to you to decide whether or not something should be “public”.
And I assume since you were doing this for the good of protecting “art”, or whatever, that you did not profit.
No, I testified the opposite. I did sell movies that were under copyright. But they were Orphan Works and my use was fair. The fair use of orphan works is unsettled law in the United States. Thank you for your comment. And congratulations your comment 100 on this post. There is some good discussions going on here. So thanks also for contributing to my cause.
Interesting case. But nobody wants to read your life story. Or at least sum it up to a few sentences at least. This is just way too much. I was expecting to read something about your case, how you're fighting against it etc but not this.
The "Life story" included in his blog is an attempt to curry sympathy. Nothing different than those sappy interviews before American Idol auditions.
He knows exactly what he's doing, including posting it all here on Reddit. The real sad part is anyone with any sense is being downvoted for being honest with the guy telling him that it's a futile lawsuit.
May the force be with you brother 🙏
Thank you, oddly enough my case's connection to SW does run deep. I can't seem to escape it.
May you never have to see those bars again, I wanted to post a Gif of Jack Sparrow saluting but I could not find the button do so, but basically I wanted give respect so here is link: [https://youtube.com/shorts/75eqPX8BIaU?si=s-akhGfIhZ7i9yUd](https://youtube.com/shorts/75eqPX8BIaU?si=s-akhGfIhZ7i9yUd)
incomplete story. "to be continued" at the end.
I’m still appealing my case. The fight continues on…
Hope you win your case, brother.
Thank you. The story ends when one of the two happens: I win or I die, whichever happens first.
I don’t think that’s how the justice system works.
The justice system… works?!?
Did 60 months myself. The justice system does not work. I wish you better luck. :/
Thank you. Then you are very familiar with the broken system. I actually do consider myself lucky. The Government asked for 12 years, my own lawyer asked for 7 (without consulting me), and the Judge gave me 5 (60 Months). I used the time the best I could, mostly buried in books and the law library, with a plan do to exactly what I'm doing now: Fight for a better copyright law. Thank you again for your comments.
Good luck Bro.
Bro is just that powerful
Damn what a stressful situation. good luck.
Hey while youre in that prisons law library notice those books have a steep msrp? Notice the xerox machine? Fun fact if youre indigent you can get a set number of copies per visit and the market for those copied books is nonzero.
Ha! I wish it was that easy. Getting the copier to work and stay working was a miracle. But I really dug the prison library, alot of good legal work was and is being done there... Especially at USP Lewisburg...
The story stops in 2015 before the case?
I was initially going to write you off as " you get what you deserve" for selling pirated copies, but then I read on to see that you were only selling "pirated" copies of abandonware video or to use the proper term orphan works. Good luck
Thank you.
Thank you for your service brother💪🏻🙏🏻
Thank you, I posted here to get into some compelling discussions about the ethical and legal aspects of my case. And I can already tell this is to do it. I've tried over other c0pyright subreddit, but all I get there is hatred and downvotes. Thank you again for your response.
I'm going to be completely honest with you dude. Selling anything that's copyrighted puts a target on your back and, even if it's abandonware, charging for it is a bit scummy. Most people who share, do it for free or at most ask for a donation to keep servers running. You don't deserve 60 months in prison for it but it really shouldn't be surprising. Copyright law heavily favors the copyright holder and as soon as money is exchanged, it becomes a lot easier to take someone down for it.
I agree. Over here in Australia the laws are a lot softer with copyright. No one uses a VPN and the only people I’ve ever seen in trouble with the law are the ones trying to make money out of it. He’s still making money off of something that never belonged to him.
Babes in Toyland, the band?
1986 TV Movie
Ah only heard of the band. I guess the movie is the origin of the name then
Older than that even .. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Babes_in_Toyland_(operetta)?wprov=sfti1
Look closely: “Toylad”! :-)
Yeah saw that but knew it was a typo
I figured, but I'm a smartass so I had to point it out.
buttsex prison or playing tennis with senators prison?
No buttsex, for me anyway, regular camp prison except for couple months in the hole and 5 days in Brooklyn, which was probably as close to a real prison as I got. But prison is prison.
What where you in the hole for
That’s how the BOP dealt with COVID.
You could have a tough case here, at least according to my limited knowledge of the situation: if you win it could create case law, which is a no-no for the interests of certain people who also profit from this but who unlike you probably have money to spare and contacts to move with the legal system unmolested (A classic "rules for you but not for me"). What a great "Department of Justice", they put normal people in prison for almost a decade for the simplest deviation with no chance of defense (constantly appealing a case until the opposing party runs out of resources is not justice, I don't even understand how it's legal) while people who really should be in jail run free on the streets. I hope you can resolve your case, even if I don't have much hope for it. There could be interests involved and if that is the case they will not let you win or they will keep harassing you until you get tired.
So you were more caught because of the selling, correct? They didn’t catch you because of the downloading? Did they present any evidence about the downloading?
No downloading. Old school dvds.
*Yo-ho, all together* ...
May the Force be with you. You are a Legend and your Works will never be Forgotten
Thank you for your encouraging words. I appreciate it.
wishing you good luck bro!
Thank you.
I mean you're selling stuff, so you're not in the right here. That doesnt mean I agree with the case and them going against you, specially if its "abandonwere" stuff but yeah, based on current laws,as shitty as they are, you're the "bad guy" here.
For this, I’m ok with being a “bad guy”, I’m fighting for a reason.
Honest question because overall I agree with you that Orphan Works needing to be addressed and losing this stuff to time really sucks. That said, Why did you think it was okay to run a business on the back of these "lost" films? Most crackers/archivists/pirates don't charge actual money for what they do. They do it purely as a hobby and at most ask for a donation to cover costs. Just my opinion but opening a store to compete with Blockbuster/Hollywood Video selling pirated goods was always going to be a *fuck around and find out* scenario. When those stores were around they didn't just burn their own DVDs and rent them out. They had to buy pricier commercial versions specifically for the purpose of video rentals. This whole thing seems like it was a get rich quick scheme that wasn't well thought out and now that you've been caught, you're trying to say it was for the good of film.
Thank you for your comments. I didn’t open a store to sell pirated goods. In fact when I first started providing them to my loyal customers I gave them away at a loss and only to select few. But after researching the law particularly concerning Orphan Works and Fair Use I decided to experiment with this site. Yes, it grew somewhat large but there over 100k or more Orphan Work films out there, I sold 200 well-researched titles. Honestly I got more into making website and researching the titles then trying to get rich quick. Hope that answers your question. My stores and other e-commerce sites were far more successful money-wise. It was a hobby that got out of hand and now it’s a fight for the legal clarification of the Fair Use of Orphan Works. Thanks again.
Fair enough. For the record. I don't think you deserved prison time over selling some pirated DVDs. That said, it doesn't really seem worth the crusade without a lawyer to back you up. Generally these types of cases go nowhere if a lawyer isn't willing to take it on and after watching my mother waste years trying to go after the government for being wrongfully terminated from her state job, it became such an obsession for her that it ruined her mental health. Is it really worth spending forever trying to fix this when time is limited and easily could take years to only be told too bad?
Something to think about, for sure. Thank you.
A kind of Piracy that even the general public ought to be in favour of - hope you win the case, brother, keep fighting the good fight ❤️
Thank you. I appreciate your comment.
You know I wonder if instead of straight up selling the orphan works you sold them a pen with the cd as a gift
I’m not a lawyer but I’m skeptical that that kind of bullshit would hold up in court.
Love the nod to Pulp Fiction at the end there. Good luck with the fight, I look forward to reading the rest!
One of my favorites. Thanks for being the first one to notice the quote.
Jeez, they put you in actual prison? I can't believe this is what our tax dollars are going to.
You won’t believe how times I heard that in prison, from inmates, guards, RDAP counselors. But I’m ok with it cause I believe in this fight.
You charged money? On what grounds? You don't own the media you don't have a right to make a profit, you messed up and you deserve the punishment. 60 months that's wack tough
Fair Use of Orphan Works was my strategy going in and still is. No court has clarified that for me or America. Thank you for your comment.
Orphan works. What if the creator doesn’t want it out there anymore? Maybe the creators are fighting with the movie companies over rights? There’s a million and one reasons why a film isn’t out on dvd or bluray. And this never belonged to you. You shouldn’t make money on something you had nothing to do with. I’d feel more sorry for you if you were giving them to customers as a gift saying “sorry I can’t get that film in, but rent a film next week and you may have a surprise”
There is no need to feel sorry for me. I am right where I want to be. Copyright is for the betterment of society. Lose the focus on the creators finances. It was never about that. That is corporate propaganda but thank you for your comments.
If you ever created something and people were making more money off it rather than you, how would you feel?
I have and “they” have, I’m ok with it. Besides it’s not about me, you or any individual artist. Copyright is for society, not the gold in single artist pocket or, more importantly in a corporate vault. I know it’s tough to understand and as a creator, it took me a long time to get here. I just want a copyright law that comes close to the original purpose of the law. Thank you for your comments.
Look, you off in La La land if you think you have any chance of winning. I’ll be honest, I pirate as well but I have NEVER tried to make money out of someone else’s work.
Oh, how morally superior of you!
You think it’s right making money off of other people’s work?
My restitution on the Copyright charges is zero. So what exactly did I steal and from who?
I’ve already won. I stood up for something I believe in, no matter the personal cost to me. One more time: it’s not about $$$. Let that go. That’s just corporate brainwashing.
If it’s not about money, why didn’t you give the films away ?
Good question. My answer is this: why didn’t google just give the phones away? That probably is the biggest Fair Use case ever and was going on while I being investigated: Oracle vs Google. 10 billion dollars. Took ten years to decide it. Supreme Court said Fair use. My case is the first criminal case in US history to deal with the Fair Use of Orphan Works. I should roll over cause some prosecutor in Bangor, Maine says I committed a crime? Nah, I want a shot at the Supremes too. I can wait. The future is too important. Do you still think this is just about money? Dude, I’ve lost everything because of this. I’m all the way in.
Good luck friend. Thoughts and prayers for you
It has always baffled me that content which isn’t being distributed can be protected under copyright - the whole point is to protect your ability to commercialize the creative work. If you’ve failed to commercialize the work(or make reasonable efforts thereto - don’t want to burn indie creators looking for distribution) for somewhere between 2-5 years, and there is demand, I see no reason why consumers shouldn’t be allowed to find an available source (or at the very least, someone with a reasonable stake in the work, like the original writer(s)/director(s)/producer(s), should be able to petition the courts to reclaim the work for their own distribution).
I agree 100%. And my inability to find clarity in copyright law is what lead me to this case and continues to me to keep fighting. Fair use of Orphan Works it’s my mantra….
The spelling mistake on that damn DVD is bothering me more than it should.
I did it on purpose. Apparently it worked. Thank you for your comment.
One of those "catch the eye with a mistake for more engagement" type things?
Can’t share your vision or idea as long as you make money out of something you don’t have any right to. Again: if your point is that we talking abandonware and going against corporates as I look at it you are playing the same exact game of theirs. Making money.
Thank you for your comment. Hopefully, we’ll figure out the orphan works problem without you. Cause Congress isn’t going to do it. They had two shots and blew it. The Supreme Court is the last hope. And that’s where I’m at right now. Thanks again.
You were selling large volumes of pirated discs of copyrighted movies you didn't own. You're not going to win this case. You'd be better served saving the money you're inevitably going to lose on countless appeals.
Thanks for your comments. I don’t have a lawyer. My only costs are my time and postage.
Time is one of our most valuable commodities. You've already lost enough over this. I hope you eventually move in with your life.
True statement. Except this is my life now, sending me to prison didn’t break me. It taught me how to survive and how to fight.
So …. What are you fighting for at the moment? Your case is allegedly done if you’ve already served your time.
I am on supervised release. Technically I am still in custody. My 2255 is still pending.
You are aware you could have been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars, right? It was proven, and you admitted here, that you were selling pirated content. You got caught. Sucks to be you, but you knew the risks. Maybe I’m reading this wrong, but what exactly do you think is wrong about this? And, I really hope the associated studios don’t sue you as per their rights.
Yes, I am quite familiar with current copyright laws, which is precisely why I am fighting this case. The law has strayed far from its original purpose, which was to "**promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts.**" It's time we as a society bring it back to its intended role, fostering creativity and innovation rather than stifling them. I admit to copying and distributing films that I considered to be orphan works. Your tone suggests you might be a prosecutor or perhaps a corporate lawyer – not that there's anything wrong with those professions. My due process was violated. United States v. Gordon was the first criminal copyright infringement case in U.S. history to address the fair use of orphan works. It's essential to ensure that the legal process is carried out correctly and lawfully. The "victims" in this case had ample opportunity to claim any losses caused by my actions. To the likely disappointment of the Department of Justice, none did. Furthermore, the statute of limitations for civil copyright actions is three years, a fact I'm sure you are aware of.
You believe there were true intentions behind the "promote the progress of science and useful arts" BS?
When did I say that? My original intentions was to provide rare movies to my customers, which upon learning of Fair Use and Orphan Works, it became an enterprise. It only became a fight for better copyright after the DOJ charged me, and I read the works of James Boyle, Aaron Swartz. To name a few. That’s ok if you think it’s BS, that’s your right and it doesn’t really affect my fight. Thanks!
So, you absolutely can testify that you did not sell any copies of movies, shows or music that was not under copyright? Strikes me as odd, seeing as you were convicted. Some studios do not offer their products on dvd for a reason. It’s not up to you to decide whether or not something should be “public”. And I assume since you were doing this for the good of protecting “art”, or whatever, that you did not profit.
No, I testified the opposite. I did sell movies that were under copyright. But they were Orphan Works and my use was fair. The fair use of orphan works is unsettled law in the United States. Thank you for your comment. And congratulations your comment 100 on this post. There is some good discussions going on here. So thanks also for contributing to my cause.
Interesting case. But nobody wants to read your life story. Or at least sum it up to a few sentences at least. This is just way too much. I was expecting to read something about your case, how you're fighting against it etc but not this.
Thanks. I’m working on it. I appreciate your criticism. It helps me.
I'm interested in hearing your story.
Ignore the adhd-zoomer. It's not too much.Â
The "Life story" included in his blog is an attempt to curry sympathy. Nothing different than those sappy interviews before American Idol auditions. He knows exactly what he's doing, including posting it all here on Reddit. The real sad part is anyone with any sense is being downvoted for being honest with the guy telling him that it's a futile lawsuit.
Do better not to get caught next time
I’m going to do much better than that. I’m going to change the copyright law before I’m done.