Publications & Sites 
Man charged with illegally recording movies in South Barrington
Updated: October 24, 2012 10:09PM
A man caught illegally recording a “Hannah Montana” movie at a South Barrington theater three years ago had thousands of illegally duplicated movies in his home, according to federal authorities.
Gerardo Arellano, 35, whose last known address was 4421 South Marshfield Ave., Chicago, has been charged with one felony count of unauthorized trafficking of a motion picture and one felony count of unauthorized recording of a motion picture, according to the FBI.
South Barrington police arrested Arellano in April 2009 while he was illegally recording “Hannah Montana: The Movie” inside a theater, the FBI said. A search of this then-Hoffman Estates home found thousands of illegally duplicated movies, along with blank CDs and DVDs, and high-speed duplicating equipment.
An FBI investigation led to additional evidence linking Arellano to a movie piracy operation, the release said.
Arellano was taken into custody Thursday and an October 2011 federal grand jury indictment was unsealed Friday, the FBI said.
He appeared before U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel on Thursday and was ordered held without bond at the Metropolitan Correctional Center. His next court appearance is Tuesday. If convicted, he faces up to eight years in prison.
The Motion Picture Association of America assisted in the investigation.
