This is beyond obscene. Yimach schmo to the jury that did this as well as to the entire MPAA. This kid was a hero. I myself don't pirate movies, but I support all that do. Chaim has said many times that we must support anything that weakens this hideously evil industry. I hope G-d judges the MPAA and its lawyers, on an individual level, very soon.
I don't even have tv service, but I don't want to support the movie industry because the people behind it and actors are evil, they don't deserve a dime from me. I will support independent films and music labels however because these are people just trying to compete against the huge corporations who outsource everything.
Anyways heres another guy who was sentenced to 5 months in prison and a interview he did.
http://www.slyck.com/story1554_EliteTorrents_InterviewEliteTorrents Interview
July 31, 2007
Thomas Mennecke
Two years after the fall of EliteTorrents, the name still manages to conjure memories of this once powerful private BitTorrent tracker. Although exclusive, it became one of the largest BitTorrent websites. EliteTorrents reached its zenith just prior to its demise, when it was the first BitTorrent website to track the "Star Wars, Episode III" torrent. Uploaded by then administrator Scott McCausland, EliteTorrent's would only maintain its pinnacle for a short time.
Literally within hours of hosting the Star Wars, Episode III torrent, EliteTorrent was forced off line. EliteTorrets hosted the Star Wars torrent a full 6 hours prior to its release in theaters. The next morning on May 25, 2005, FBI, local police and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcment) agents raided the home of Scott McCausland. That moment began his two year saga which as of today is slowly drawing to a close. Scott McCausland and co-administrator Grant Stanley were sentenced to 5 months in Federal prison, followed by five months of home detention. Scott was released just last week, and agreed to speak to Slyck.com about his role with EliteTorrents.
Slyck.com: What were the intentions and goals of EliteTorrents when operations first began?
Scott: The intentions of EliteTorrents (ET) were the intentions of any other massive BitTorrent site at the time; to provide the best quality, and the largest amount (not mutually exclusive). As far as I was concerned (as one of the higher ranking Admins) we had the best uploaders and the best staff, which was why we got Star Wars, and a lot of other movies, out fast, if not fastest.
Slyck.com: Describe your functions and role within the ranks of EliteTorrents.
Scott: I was an administrator. Which meant that I had full control over the working of the site (except the coding aspects). After a while of being an administrator, I eventually helped restructure the staff and the workings, and that helped to make ET one of the largest and best BitTorrent (BT) sites around.
Slyck.com: In court you plead guilty to uploading the Star Wars, Episode III torrent. Did you consider the repercussions of doing so when you made the decision to seed the movie?
Scott: 1) In court, I plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and one count of copyright infringement/intellectual property violation. Albeit, at this point, it is OK for me to say that I was the one who uploaded Star Wars. 2) Had I considered the consequences of seeding it (at that moment) I cant say that today would be any different than that actual day. I still firmly believe that if I can give it, you shall have it.
Slyck.com: Considering the legal action against other file-sharing networks and indexing sites at the time, did you believe that EliteTorrent's operations would be immune from copyright enforcement?
Scott: It wasn't a matter of immunity. It was the fact that we had to keep going. We were on track to become the best BT tracker. And I believe that no site around now, or then, matches us at all. The legal actions were just par for the course. Its not like we didn't know what we were doing.
Slyck.com: When you see other sites such as The Pirate Bay make a mockery of Intellectual Property while you had to pay a considerable price, how does that make you feel?
Scott: I feel that I was made an example of. And after talking to some of the other members of our little DOJ sting, I know they feel the same way. I can't complain about how I was treated by the Feds, but I firmly don't believe I deserved it.
Slyck.com: Tell us about the events leading up to and after May 25th, 2005, when the world was confronted by the FBI and U.S. Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement take down notice.
Scott: Star Wars was uploaded... and then it was game over. I awoke one morning to see the FBI warning on the ET site, and thought to myself "Damn, I think we are screwed." It didn't dawn on me at the time that I could be a target. I didn't upload a lot, just a couple movies. But I did Star Wars, so... Then, at 6AM I am woken up to the sounds of 6 FBI, 6 ICE, and 2 Local Police at my front door. They come in, confiscate everything, and that begins my 2+ years saga.
Slyck.com: Authorities stated that the server logs were also confiscated (presumably containing user information). What, if anything, did the logs contain and what were used for?
Scott: Not a lot of user info was kept on the servers (to my knowledge). They got email addresses, and some coding logs, and some other stuff. Possibly a list of IP addresses. The logs were used to gather information. They were looking for the Administrators and uploaders. So the average user had nothing, and has nothing to worry about.
Slyck.com: Tell us about the events leading up to and after December 19, 2006, when you were sentenced.
Scott: Well, it was a typical sad story. I was worried and scared of getting a prison sentence. I tried to focus on school, and tried to stay strong. I stayed away from the scene and tried to keep away from my obsessive addiction. Then the fateful day arrives, and I am sentenced to 5 months of incarceration, and 5 months of home confinement.
Slyck.com: In your blog you mentioned that most individuals in your prison were there for drug convictions. What was the general perception of fellow inmates and/or guards that you were there for criminal copyright infringement?
Scott: The prison was located in Morgantown, WV. It is the number 1 drug rehabilitation center (PRISON) in the country. They have a 500 hour drug program for drug offenders, and it gives them time off their sentence (I don't qualify for such any programs, but crack addicts do). --> Anyways, the general theme amongst the guards and other inmates was that I was given a sentence far exceeding any expectation of justice. They laughed and scoffed and thought I was a nerd. There were people who had been in prison for 20 years, and they didn't like someone who came in with 5 months... it wasn't fun.
Slyck.com: What advice would you give someone residing in the United States who is about to open a BitTorrent tracker?
Scott: I would recommend that no one run a tracker in the US. I think that with the way things are, it is an unnecessary risk. Stick to places like Sweden and other locales that are a little less stringent on their piracy policies.
Slyck.com: What lesson(s) have you learned from this experience?
Scott: I have learned that you can't beat the Justice Department. And that although they stopped me, they can't stop everyone, and I was a small player in an unmeasurable game. It won't end, because they can't stop it.
Slyck.com: If there was anything you could have done differently, what would it be?
Scott: If there was one thing I could do different, I would have never got into the game to begin with.
Slyck.com: What restrictions are placed on you for the remaining 5 month home confinement?
Scott: I have an ankle bracelet and I am allowed out of my house for church and work and school reasons. Other than that, I am confined to my home (150 feet from the monitor, and with a bracelet).
Slyck.com: What are your thoughts on P2P, file-sharing, and BitTorrent?
Scott: My thoughts on P2P and the like are as follows: I am not like a typical SCENE member, I am all for P2P sites. I think that BitTorrent is brilliant. And I feel that it is the wave of the future. With uTorrent becoming the BitTorrent client, it is just starting.
Slyck.com: When your sentence is completed, what path do you plan on taking? Do you still wish to work with computers or is there something else you'd like to explore?
Scott: At this moment I am taking it step by step. I do not have a job right now (so if anyone needs an ex-con felon, you know who to contact). I am planning on returning to school at the end of August, and just plan on moving on with my life, and keeping my family intact.
Slyck.com: What advice would you give to the BitTorrent user who feels there is a safety advantage in using a private tracker/site?
Scott: There is no advantage. It doesn't matter how good you are (because some of US are really really good), they will find you. With an unlimited amount of money, anything and anyone can be done!
Don't you guys love how our tax dollars are being wasted taking out computer nerds?