Boy, 16, Is Arrested Under Film Piracy Law

A 16-year-old boy was arrested at a Chatsworth movie theater early Wednesday after an employee wearing night-vision goggles caught him videotaping “Spider-Man 2,” Los Angeles police said.

The boy was booked under a state law enacted earlier this year that makes videotaping in a movie theater punishable by up to one year in jail, with a maximum fine of $2,500, according to police.

The youth was taken into custody at Pacific Theatres Winnetka Stadium 21 about 1:30 a.m., police said, after a projectionist reported seeing him using a video camera during portions of the first showing of the hotly anticipated film. The boy’s name was not released because of his age.

The youth has been released to his parents while the Los Angeles city attorney’s office reviews the case and decides whether to file charges, police said.

Officials say the arrest is part of a nationwide effort to protect the movie industry from the sort of rampant piracy that has slashed profits in the music industry.

Last week, the Motion Picture Assn. of America placed a $500 bounty on moviegoers using video cameras during films and encouraged theater employees to watch for them.

MPAA officials applauded the arrest.

“In theaters nationwide, there are now thousands of eyes looking for camcording pirates, and this incident proves that pirates who use devices in theaters will be caught,” said MPAA official James W. Spertus.

In Washington last week, the Senate unanimously passed anti-piracy legislation that focused on videotaping in movie theaters.