A man from California was arrested Tuesday for allegedly posting on Facebook a copy of a movie still in theaters at the time.
Federal authorities say, using the virtual name “Tre-Von M. King,” 21-year-old Trevon Maurice Franklin uploaded the movie “Deadpool” roughly a week after it was officially released to the public, according to the Los Angeles Times. More than 5 million people watched at least parts of the movie free of charge. Despite the complimentary and illegal showing, “Deadpool” was a huge box office hit, making a total of $783 million globally, according to Deadline.
Overall, law enforcement accuses Franklin of reproducing and disseminating around 10 copies of the film, equating to a total retail value of $2,500. He appeared in court Tuesday afternoon for his initial hearing, but no plea decision was entered, reports the Fresno Bee.
The case is unique because pirated content is not as typically found on social media platforms like Facebook.
Copyright infringement, a felony offense, carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 for individuals.
Facebook did not respond back to The Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment by the time of publication.
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