DRACUT MAN CHARGED WITH COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT FOR SELLING “CRACKED” SOFTWARE ONLINE

Boston, MA... A Dracut man was charged today in federal court with criminal copyright infringement for running a business in which he sold illegally copied software via the Internet.

United States Attorney Michael J. Sullivan and Kenneth W. Kaiser, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New England, announced today that JEFFREY CODERRE, age 41, of 55 Sawyer Avenue, Dracut, Massachusetts, was charged in a one-count Information with criminal copyright infringement.

According to the Information, during 2004 and 2005, CODERRE operated an Internet web site called “Cool CD’s,” on which he offered hundreds of software programs for sale at prices far below the retail price. CODERRE had not bought this software from the manufacturers or through any legitimate channels but rather had illegally downloaded the software from websites or obtained it from other individuals. The software CODERRE sold was all “cracked” – meaning that the security devices the manufacturers used to prevent people from illegally copying the software had been broken or circumvented. It is alleged that on March 17, 2005, CODERRE possessed, on computers in his Dracut home, more than 5,000 cracked software programs, which had a combined retail value of approximately $5.5 million.

If convicted, CODERRE faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison, to be followed by 3 years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution.

The Business Software Alliance referred this matter to the FBI and provided valuable assistance during the investigation. The case was investigated by the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bookbinder in Sullivan’s Computer Crimes Unit.

The details contained in the Information are allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Press Contact: Samantha Martin, (617) 748-3139