Alleged Video Pirate Indicted on 3 Counts
An Encino man has been accused of violating federal copyright laws by duplicating first-run feature films on videocassettes that were sold in the Middle East and Asia.
A three-count federal indictment said Cesar Cruz Santos, 42, illegally copied 29 movies, including “Hope and Glory,” “Wall Street,” “Dracula’s Widow” and “Death Wish IV.”
Assistant U.S. Atty. Maurice Leiter said Santos was a video pirate who shipped the copies to Bahrain, Cyprus, Malaysia and the Philippines, where the videocassettes were duplicated and sold commercially.
Jack Valenti, president of the Motion Picture Assn. of America, called the indictment a “significant step” toward controlling video piracy worldwide.
If convicted, Santos could be sentenced to a maximum nine years in prison and fined $750,000, Leiter said.
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