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ESA Lauds Jail Sentence for California Game Pirate
May 5, 2009 – Washington, DC – The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today commended the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara for the recent jail sentence imposed on a California game pirate, Khuong Van Truong. At an April 22, 2009 hearing, Judge Rene Navarro sentenced Van Truong of San Jose, CA to 10 months in jail and ordered him to pay the ESA $5,000 in restitution for illegally pirating entertainment software.
On December 4, 2008, defendant Van Truong pled guilty to counterfeiting and possessing pirated materials for sale. The San Jose Police Department raided Van Truong’s home in March 2008 and found over 11,000 pirated video games, multiple game consoles and computer hardware used in the production of pirated game software. During the seizure, police also found over 4,000 pirated movie DVDs and over 300 pirated audio CDs.
“Significant jail sentences in cases like Van Truong’s highlight the seriousness of game piracy as a crime and reflect the material harm inflicted on the artists and entrepreneurs who make computer and video games possible,” said Michael Gallagher, CEO of the ESA, which represents U.S. computer and video game publishers.
“We applaud the work of both the San Jose Police Department and the Santa Clara County Office of the District Attorney for their hard work and dedication to bringing this game pirate to justice. The ESA and its members will continue to support all law enforcement efforts to prosecute any individuals involved in the theft of entertainment software to the maximum extent of the law,” Gallagher concluded.
The Entertainment Software Association is the U.S. association dedicated to serving the business and public affairs needs of companies publishing interactive games for video game consoles, handheld devices, personal computers, and the Internet. The ESA offers services to interactive entertainment software publishers including a global anti-piracy program, owning the E3 Expo, business and consumer research, federal and state government relations, First Amendment and intellectual property protection efforts. For more information, please visit www.theESA.com.
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