The US government has secured the first conviction in its ambitious Operation Fastlink program designed to nab software pirates.

The Iowa City Press-Citizen reported that Jathan Desir, 26, has admitted to distributing pirated software worth up to $200,000. The University of Iowa student is said to have had 13,000 software titles up for grabs. FBI agents searched his home earlier this year.

The paper reported that Desir last week pleaded guilty to felony counts of copyright infringement and conspiracy. He could face up to 15 years in prison and will be sentenced in March of next year.

FBI agents searched Desir's home on the same day - April 21 - that the US government launched a worldwide piracy strike as part of Operation Fastlink. The program is a joint venture between the FBI's Cyber Division and the Department of Justice's Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section. The Feds are looking for copyrighted music and movie traders, along with software pirates.

The full account of the Desir bust can be found here. ®

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