[StBernard] JEFFERSON WOMAN SENTENCED FOR CRIMINAL INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS

[Westley Annis]

JEFFERSON WOMAN SENTENCED FOR CRIMINAL INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHTED MATERIALS
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA -YOLANDA WILLIAMS, age 32, a resident of Jefferson
Louisiana, was sentenced today by the Honorable Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to a
five (5) year term of probation pursuant to her plea of guilty to Criminal
Infringement of Copyrighted Materials, U. S. Attorney Jim Letten announced
today. 

According to the indictment and documents filed at the time of her plea of
guilty, on March 12, 2007, Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Deputies were summoned
to the defendant's residence in Jefferson, Louisiana to answer a domestic
violence call. When the officers arrived, they entered her house. The
defendant was not present. While inside, the officers observed in plain view
in the living room, 7,645 music CDs and 3,180 DVD movies with handwritten
titles. The officers also found a list which contained titles and prices as
well as two computer towers which were capable of making up to 10 copies of
a CD or DVD simultaneously. 


The defendant was interviewed by members of the JPSO and admitted that she
had reproduced the CDs and DVDs on the twin towers and sold the pirated
items at various places. She indicated that this had occurred within the
last 3-4 months. The pirated movies included Dreamgirls, Fearless, The Last
King of Scotland and Ring Two. The copyrighted recordings included the works
of R Kelly, Tupac Shakur and Jadakiss. 

U. S. Attorney Letten said that his office considers these offenses serious
in nature and will continue to prosecute them in the future. He stated that
these offenses adversely impact not only the music and motion picture
industry but legitimate area retail outlets as well as local New Orleans
musicians. 

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the
Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office. The case was prosecuted by the Chief of
the Organized Crime Strike Force Unit, Mark A. Miller.






# # # #