Florida Man Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Streaming Access

Photo byJonas LeupeonUnsplash

By Staff Writer | iSkyCreations - News & Media (ISC News & Media)
Published May 2nd, 2024

Melbourne, Florida — According to United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis , Franklin Valverde Jr., a 40-year-old man from Melbourne, Florida, has been sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for illegally providing access to digital streaming services. This case marks the first conviction under the Protecting Lawful Streaming Act (PLSA), which was enacted in 2021 as part of the Covid-19 Stimulus Bill.

Valverde, a retired Air Force member formerly stationed at Shaw Air Force Base in Sumter, pleaded guilty to charges of selling unauthorized access codes for Dish Network and Sling TV. The codes, typically sold for $10 per month, granted users illegal access to copyrighted content including movies, television programs, and pay-per-view sporting events.

During the proceedings, evidence was presented showing that Valverde made hundreds of thousands of dollars from this scheme. In addition to selling the codes, he provided websites and applications that facilitated the viewing of the stolen content.

The sentencing was carried out by United States District Judge Mary G. Lewis, who also imposed a three-year term of court-ordered supervision following Valverde's imprisonment and ordered him to pay $22,639.27 in restitution and a $250,000 fine. It was noted in court that there is no parole in the federal system.

The PLSA was specifically designed to target commercial, for-profit streaming piracy services that profit from illegally distributing copyrighted materials. The act does not criminalize individuals who merely use these illegal services, focusing instead on those who operate and profit from them.

This landmark case was investigated by the FBI's Columbia Field Office and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney T. DeWayne Pearson. The conviction underlines the seriousness with which the federal government views the illegal distribution of copyrighted content and signals a stringent approach towards combating digital piracy.

For Immediate Release: U.S. Attorney's Office, District of South Carolina

Photo byiSkyCreations - News & Media