Via Examiner-Enterprise -
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A former Oklahoma State University student has been accused of being part of a group of computer hackers who copy, modify and distribute copyrighted material online.
Joseph Ryan Hershberger, 28, has been indicted on federal conspiracy and copyright infringement charges as part of the Justice Department’s focus on enforcing intellectual property rights.
Hershberger, of Austin, Texas, is accused of downloading more than $40,000 worth of pirated software between 2000 and 2004 while a student at OSU, the indictment states.
Hershberger earned a master’s degree in electrical engineering at OSU in 2005 and currently works as a computer programmer. He pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned in U.S. District Court on Monday.
Prosecutors allege that Hershberger is a member of the “warez scene,” an organized group of people who since the early 1990s have worked together to “crack” the copyright protection of movies, games, music and software and distribute them to others, according to the Justice Department.
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