Blogger Who Posted Guns N' Roses Songs Online Sentenced

July 14, 2009

Los Angeles - Kevin Cogill, a blogger was sentenced to a year of probation after he pleaded guilty to one misdemeanor count of copyright infringement.

US District Magistrate Judge Paul Abrams further sentenced Cogill to serve two months of house confinement, subject his computers to government scrutiny and record a public service announcement for the Recording Industry Association of America.

The blogger said that he didn’t mean any harm by posting nine tracks from the Guns ‘N Roses then unreleased album last year and he apologized for it, saying that he just intended to promote the artist because he was a fan.

Authorities have estimated that his action of posting that songs have cost $371,000 in losses but Cogill will not have to pay any fines or restitution. However, all his computers may be seized and searched.

Assistant US Attorney, Craig Missakian however, felt that a short prison term should have been imposed to serve as a warning to others who would post copyrighted work online. He said that too many people think that it is a “victimless crime”.

His defense attorney, David Kaloyanides argued said that Cogill has already lost much, including his job as a result of being prosecuted. He said that if the punishment was too heavy-handed it might create a backlash and that an ad recorded by Cogill will “speak” more to the fans.

Cogill, as part of his sentence will record ads that would target fans who upload and download copyrighted works.