Man Gets Over 4 Years in Prison for Stealing Pre-Release DVDs

A Memphis federal court sentenced Steven Hale to over 4 years in prison for stealing hundreds of pre-release DVDs and Blu-ray discs from his former employer.

The 37-year-old Tennessee man worked at an unnamed disc manufacturing company between 2021 and 2022.

The Spider-Man Connection

Hale’s theft made headlines when “Spider-Man: No Way Home” appeared on torrent websites weeks before its official release.

This high-profile leak puzzled authorities until they traced it back to Hale’s stolen discs. The movie became one of the most pirated films online, downloaded tens of millions of times.

The notorious piracy group EVO released the leaked Spider-Man film in March 2022. Days later, authorities raided Hale’s home and found hundreds of pre-release discs still in his possession. Portuguese authorities later dismantled the EVO group in late 2022.

Extensive Movie Collection Stolen

Prosecutors revealed that Hale stole numerous blockbuster titles during his employment. The stolen collection included the following:

• Jungle Cruise
• Venom: Let There Be Carnage
• Encanto
• Eternals
• The King’s Man
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City
• Marry Me
• Sing 2
• The Matrix Resurrections

There were additional titles stolen and Hale sold ripped digital copies through various e-commerce platforms before their scheduled release dates.

Dual Criminal Charges

While the copyright infringement carried a 21-month sentence, Hale faced additional charges. As a convicted felon with previous armed robbery charges, his possession of a firearm violated federal law. Authorities found the weapon in his registered vehicle with one round chambered and 13 in the magazine.

The firearm charge resulted in the longer 57-month sentence, which he’ll serve concurrently with the copyright violation. Judge Sheryl H. Lipman followed the prosecution’s sentencing recommendation exactly.

Guilty Plea Reduced Sentence

Hale pleaded guilty in May 2025, accepting responsibility for his actions. This cooperation led prosecutors to drop other charges and recommend a sentence at the lower end of guidelines. The maximum penalty for copyright infringement could have reached 60 months.

The court granted several defense requests, including housing Hale near Memphis to stay close to family. He remains on bond and can self-surrender to prison at a later date.

FBI Special Agent Joseph E. Carrico emphasized the massive financial impact: “The copyright owner lost tens of millions of dollars as a result of Steven Hale stealing DVDs and Blu-rays of blockbuster movies.”

Final Thoughts

This case highlights how employee theft can fuel massive online piracy operations. While Hale received credit for cooperation, his actions caused millions in damages to movie studios and demonstrated the serious legal consequences of pre-release content theft.

However, hundreds of movie pirates remain active across the internet, and authorities face an uphill battle against this widespread problem. This conviction represents just one small victory in an endless war against digital piracy.

For more information on this story, refer to the legal documentation (PDF) and the report from TorrentFreak.

We want to know your thoughts on this story. What do you think about this man potentially facing 20 years in prison? Let us know in the comment section below!

Be sure to stay up-to-date with the latest streaming news, reviews, tips, and more by following the TROYPOINT Advisor with updates weekly.