California man pleads guilty to Web piracy

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- The California operator of the peer-to-peer Web network "Smoking House" pleaded guilty Friday to conspiracy and conspiracy to commit grand theft.

Jed Frederick Kolbes was the first person accused of online piracy to be charged under California state felony laws, Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley announced.

Kolbes was accused of illegally downloading and trading copyrighted movies, music and games through his site.

He was in the midst of downloading an Xbox game when police raided his home, officials said.

"There is no room in the sunshine state for movie thieves and people who operate hubs that facilitate illegal trading of copyrighted materials," John Malcolm of the Motion Picture Association of America said in a news release. "Jed Kolbes is just the first of many who will learn this lesson the hard way."