A man who operates a website based on the science fiction television series “Stargate SG-1” made his first court appearance in Los Angeles yesterday on charges of streaming pirated copies of the show over the Internet.
Adam Clark McGaughey, 35, of Cincinnati, Ohio, operated a website based on Stargate SG-1. As early as 2001, McGaughey provided visitors to his website the opportunity to download copies of Stargate SG-1 episodes. After receiving letters from the Motion Picture Association of America requesting that he stop streaming the episodes, McGaughey moved his website overseas and continued to stream episodes over the Internet until April 2003. McGaughey profited from his website through advertising and sales links on the website itself.
Stargate SG-1 is produced by MGM and airs on Showtime and UPN.
Appearing in court yesterday, McGaughey did not enter a plea to the charges of felony trafficking of counterfeit goods and misdemeanor copyright infringement. A Magistrate Judge scheduled a preliminary hearing for May 3 (which will take place unless there is an indictment before that time) and an arraignment for May 10. McGaughney was released on a $5,000 bond
The case against McGaughey is the product of an investigation by the FBI.
