August 20, 1999
Web posted at: 4:01 PM EDT (2001 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A 22-year-old University of Oregon senior who made thousands of musical recordings, movies, and computer software programs available to the public on his website Friday became the first person convicted of internet copyright theft under a federal law enacted in 1997.

Justice Department officials in Washington D.C. and Eugene, Oregon announced Jeffrey Gerard Levy pled guilty to a felony count of criminal infringement of a copyright. The No Electronic Theft ("NET") Act was signed into law by President Clinton in December, 1997, to combat internet violations of trademarks and copyrights.

Authorities say Levy admitted that in January 1999 he illegally posted digitally-recorded movies, musical recordings, and entertainment software programs on his web site, allowing the general public to download and copy the copyrighted products.

"Mr. Levy's case should serve as a notice that the Justice Department has made prosecution of Internet piracy one of its priorities," said Assistant Attorney General James Robinson.

Robinson, who heads Attorney General Janet Reno's Criminal Division, said cases will be brought whether or not the violations are for profit.

"This is theft, pure and simple," he said.

Levy will be sentenced in federal court in Eugene November 2nd. He faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine.