Man Balks at Guilty Plea in ‘Screener’ Case

A man accused of illegally copying more than 40 Academy Award “screeners” agreed to plead guilty to one count of copyright infringement, but a few hours later he unexpectedly balked at consummating the deal.

A federal grand jury had indicted 51-year-old Russell W. Sprague of Homewood, Ill., on charges that he illegally copied movies he had received from actor Carmine Caridi.

Appearing before Judge George H. King, Sprague admitted that he had made and redistributed more than 10 illegal copies. But Sprague balked at admitting that he knew he was violating the law, prompting King to postpone any further proceedings until April 12.

Under the agreement, Sprague would face a maximum penalty of three years in prison and a $250,000 fine and could be required to reimburse the studios for their losses.