Internet movie pirate sentenced

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NORFOLK, Va., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- The head of the online movie piracy group IMAGiNE was sent to federal prison for five years Thursday by a judge in Norfolk, Va.

Jeramiah B. Perkins, 40, of Portsmouth, Va., also is to serve three years of supervised release after he completes his incarceration and must pay $15,000 in restitution.

Perkins pleaded guilty in August to one count of conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement. He had been indicted along with three other defendants last April for their roles in IMAGiNE.

Authorities said Perkins was the one who directed the group's efforts to secretly record movies only showing in theaters, then making them available for purchase on the Internet.

A representative of the Motion Picture Association of America testified IMAGiNE was the most prolific movie piracy group operating on the Internet from September 2009 through September 2011.

Co-defendants Sean M. Lovelady, Willie O. Lambert and Gregory A. Cherwonik previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced on similar conspiracy charges.

A fifth co-defendant, Javier E. Ferrer, also has pleaded guilty and is to be sentenced March 14.