5 Men in Nevada Sentenced for Operating Illegal Streaming Site

Five men from Nevada have recently been sentenced for their involvement in operating an illegal streaming website called Jetflicks. This site was known as one of the biggest television streaming services in the U.S., but unfortunately, its success came at a cost. The copyright owners suffered significant financial losses due to the illegal nature of the service.

U.S. Attorney Sigal Chattah emphasized that digital crimes like these have real consequences and are not victimless. The Department of Justice (DOJ) worked alongside the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and the FBI to bring these individuals to justice, highlighting their commitment to combatting intellectual property crimes.

The men involved in this illegal operation, Kristopher Lee Dallman, Peter Huber, Jared Edward Jaurequi, Felipe Garcia, and Douglas M Courson, all based in Las Vegas, were found guilty of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement. Dallman, in particular, faced additional charges of criminal copyright infringement, distribution, public performance, and money laundering, leading to a sentence of 84 months in prison.

Jetflicks, with its headquarters in Las Vegas, boasted an extensive library of over 183,000 TV episodes, far surpassing other popular streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon. The DOJ noted that this case was the largest internet piracy trial and resulted in millions of dollars in losses.

The operation of Jetflicks involved using automated software and computer scripts to illegally obtain and distribute copyrighted content to paid subscribers. Each of the convicted individuals played various roles within the organization, contributing to its success and profitability. Dallman alone profited significantly, with the infringement estimated to be valued at $37.5 million.

These five defendants were part of a larger group indicted in Virginia for their involvement in Jetflicks. In addition to them, Darryl Polo and Luis Villarino pleaded guilty in Virginia for their roles in other similar illegal streaming services, resulting in prison sentences for both individuals.

The sentencing of these individuals highlights the serious consequences of intellectual property crimes and serves as a reminder of the importance of respecting copyright laws. It’s essential to support creators and artists by consuming content through legal and authorized platforms to ensure their work is valued and protected.