The cinetrix is hoping somebody could provide the unexpurgated version of this story?
Paul Sherman, a Massachusetts freelance reviewer whose outlets have included the Boston Herald, pleaded guilty to selling the 2005 action-laffer along with more than 100 other screeners to online "warez" groups, the Justice Dept. announced Tuesday.
...In his plea agreement, Sherman stated that in 1999 he began auctioning DVD screeners that he "no longer needed or wanted on eBay." During one auction, a warez operator identified as David Teves in Sherman's statement emailed him and offered $40 plus shipping costs if Sherman would stop the auction and overnight the DVD (of "Out Cold""Out Cold") to him.
The relationship continued until June 2005, during which time Sherman sold approximately 117 screeners for a total $4,714, according to his plea agreement.
Sherman's plea resulted from Justice's Operation Copycat, which, counting Sherman, has netted 30 convictions of warez pirates so far. He could be facing three years in prison plus at least $250,000 in fines, but his cooperation may lead to a reduced sentence.
A woman who answered the phone on the Boston Herald's arts desk said that Sherman "hasn't been with us for over a year." A database search shows his last byline appeared Aug. 5, 2005. She said his departure was not related to actions associated with his guilty plea.
Ouch. The cinetrix remembers Paul from press screenings at the Brattle. He was most recently reviewing films for Boston weekly The Improper Bostonian. Guess that gig may be up for grabs now, huh?
