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Doing The Time - But For What Crime
>> An older article caught my eye from LAist.
(Above: Photo of Jason's modded ankle tracker.)
[QUOTE]
Jason Jones used to own ACME, the super-hip video game store on Melrose and La Brea that catered to celebrity clients ranging from Snoop Dogg to David Arquette. In 2005 he was pinched by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, who raided his store wearing full body armor and brandishing shotguns because Jones was suspected of selling "modded" Microsoft Xboxes that played pirated games. Seriously.
Charged with felonies under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, Jones faced up to five years in prison and $250,000 in fines after pleading guilty to felony copyright crimes in May, 2006. Instead, he received six months of probation. His current home is The Vinewood, a Hollywood halfway house for federal cons about to transition back to civilian life. Jones, 35, sat down to chat about being the only video game gangsta among the bank robbers and real thugs.
How did the other cons respond to you? I mean, your crime is pretty lightweight.
They all thought it was a joke. I'm the square. I like to think I'm a badass, but I'm not. You've got guys in here for heinous shit. Hate crimes, murder, kidnapping. I got shit from them when I first got here. Guys were like "what gang are you with?" and stuff like that. I was like, dude, I'm a guy who rides a skateboard.
How much are you allowed to leave the house, and what's your schedule like?
You're allowed 10 hours out every day, but only to work. They get $1,200 a head from the state to house you, then they take 25 percent of your earnings and make you work. Then they call your job twice a day and you have to call them four times a day. They berate you. It's really wack. Imagine if you're a real con trying to get a job. What bullshit!
Have you learned any major lessons being in here?
No, not really. I learned how one can rob a bank. I also learned not to fuck with homeland security.
[/QUOTE]
Read the full interview with Jason at LAist.
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