Police foil alleged music piracy plot

An elaborate video game and movie piracy operation has been shut down and its alleged operator arrested, according to Shelbyville police.

Arrested was Lemuel Earl Houston, 33, of Templeton Street, who was charged with two counts of criminal simulation over $1,000.

According to Detective Brian Crews of the Shelbyville Police Department, the investigation began after members of the 17th Judicial District Drug Task Force and deputies from the Bedford County Sheriff's Department seized 101 counterfeit DVD movies and games at a Cannon Boulevard business that was allegedly selling counterfeit designer clothing and jewelry.

Following publication of the story in the Times-Gazette, Crews said a number of tips led him to believe that the pirated movies and games "were being mass produced" by Houston.

Conducting a search of his residence, police found numerous pirated XBOX 360 games and DVDs and "as well as an elaborate computer system that enabled him to produce the pirated material."

Houston was interviewed by Crews and Detective Charles Merlo, at which time he admitted to making and selling the pirated material "as well as altering XBOX game systems for individuals."

"He was downloading movies and then reselling them to various individuals in Shelbyville for $5 a movie," Crews said.

Officers seized two laptop and desktop computers each, DVD burners, a broadband modem, a wireless router, an XBOX game console and nearly 300 DVDs and XBOX games, among other items.

"He would take someone's XBOX console and alter some settings to where they would play pirated games ... charging $100 to alter the console and then selling the pirated XBOX games as well," Crews said.

Crews said Houston had movies that are still in theatres, such as the Disney/Pixar film "Up" and other DVDs of films that have not been released in stores yet.

Houston would also put artwork on the DVD of the pirated copies of the films, Crews said. One computer had a total of eight DVD burners installed, which was used for the alleged mass production of the movies.

One count of criminal simulation was for the piracy of the movies and the other count was for the bootlegging of the XBOX games. Crews said they could have handed down charges for each movie and game pirated, but added "that just wasn't feasible."

"There's a lot of money to be made in this," Crews said. "The Motion Picture Association of American have put a value of $11.20 per movie, that's their loss when someone pirates these movies and turn around and sells them."

Crews also said that Houston could face federal charges for the piracy, "if the feds wants to get involved."

Houston is currently free on $6,000 bond and will appear in Bedford County General Session court on July 7.