Threat Management

Two plead guilty for roles in separate Android app piracy groups

Two members of separate piracy groups pleaded guilty this week for their roles in the operations, both of which involved the illegal distribution of more than a million copies of copyrighted Android apps.

Thomas Pace, a 38-year-old Oregon man, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement, according to a Tuesday release by the Department of Justice. Pace worked with the Appbucket Group, which had two members that pleaded guilty in March to the same charges.

Kody Jon Peterson, a 22-year-old from Florida, pleaded guilty on Monday to conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement, according to the release. Peterson worked with the SnappzMarket Group, which operated from May 2011 to August 2012.

The total retail value of apps distributed by the SnappzMarket group is more than $1.7 million, and more than $700,000 in the Appbucket Group case.

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