Man Could Face 20 Years in Prison for Leaking Blu-ray Movies

A former employee at a Memphis disc manufacturing plant could face up to 20 years in prison for stealing and selling pre-release DVDs and Blu-rays.

Prosecutors say this theft led to the film’s early availability on torrent websites, resulting in widespread illegal downloads.

The defendant, 37-year-old Steven Hale, faces serious charges, including criminal copyright infringement and interstate transportation of stolen goods, carrying potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison.

How the Movie Leak Happened

In December 2021, pirated copies of Spider-Man: No Way Home appeared on torrent sites weeks before the film’s official home release.

The leak was attributed to the notorious piracy group EVO, which was later shut down by Portuguese authorities in 2022. At the time, it was unclear how EVO obtained the movie, but U.S. investigators now believe the discs came from Hale.

According to the indictment, Hale worked at a Blu-ray and DVD manufacturing and distribution facility between 2021 and 2022, giving him access to unreleased films. He allegedly stole multiple titles, including:

• F9: The Fast Saga
• Venom: Let There Be Carnage
• Godzilla vs. Kong
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Dune
• Black Widow

Authorities claim that after stealing the discs, Hale sold them through e-commerce platforms before they surfaced on pirate networks.

eBay Listings and the EVO Connection

One of the more intriguing aspects of the case is that pre-release Blu-ray copies of Spider-Man: No Way Home were spotted on eBay before the leak.

While the indictment does not confirm whether these listings were tied to Hale, the Department of Justice believes that at least one of his stolen discs was purchased, copied, and eventually ripped and uploaded online.

Once online, the pirated movie spread like wildfire. Authorities estimate that the illegal downloads resulted in tens of millions of dollars in losses for the copyright holders. Here’s what the DoJ wrote:

“That digital copy was then illegally made available over the internet more than a month before the Blu-ray’s official scheduled release date. Copies of ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ were downloaded tens of millions of times, with an estimated loss to the copyright owner of tens of millions of dollars.”

Unanswered Questions & Ongoing Investigation

While the indictment confirms Hale’s alleged involvement, many details remain undisclosed. The name of the manufacturing company where he worked has not been revealed, though Memphis has only a few large facilities that fit the description.

Additionally, the specific e-commerce platforms used to sell the stolen discs remain unnamed. The FBI’s investigation is still active, meaning more details may emerge as the case develops.

Hale was appointed a public defender after being deemed financially unable to afford legal representation.

As the case moves through the courts, it may reveal more about how major pre-release leaks happen and whether others were involved in distributing the stolen content. For now, Hale remains innocent until proven guilty.

For more information on this story, refer to U.S. District Court indictment (PDF), press release, and the report from TorrentFreak.

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