Man Sentenced for Selling Bootleg Remix CDs in 2026
A man in England has been sentenced after authorities say he spent years illegally burning and selling remix CDs featuring music from well-known artists.
Marc Kearns, 47, of East Cowick in East Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to multiple copyright-related offenses after a lengthy investigation that began nearly eight years ago.
According to officials, trading standards officers first became aware of Kearns’ operation in 2018. A formal investigation followed in 2019, and authorities executed a search warrant at his property in 2022.
The case finally concluded this year.
Investigators say Kearns produced unauthorized remix compilation CDs using copyrighted music from popular artists and sold them for profit.
Officials did not specify exactly how the CDs were distributed, though investigators believe the physical sales created the trail that ultimately led to the prosecution.
Kearns was sentenced to 26 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, meaning he will not serve jail time unless he commits another offense during that period.
He was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid community service.
A spokesperson for the local council said the operation allowed Kearns to profit from copyrighted material at the expense of legitimate artists and businesses.
Officials hope the sentence discourages others from selling counterfeit or unauthorized media.
While digital piracy continues online, authorities say this case stands out because it centered on a physical format many people consider a relic of the past: burned CDs.
