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A trial against P2P operators has garnered a pair of convictions today, the first of its kind in the United States' fight against the file sharing industry.

Two men plead guilty to violating a number of copyright infringement laws while operating a P2P network that oversaw the exchange of music, movies, and software.

According to Reuters, "William Trowbridge, 50, of Johnson City, New York, and Michael Chicoine, 47, of San Antonio, face up to five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 in the criminal convictions stemming from an August raid, the department said late on Tuesday."

Trowbridge ran a hub called the Movie Room hub, while Chicoine ran Achenon's Alley TM. Each had sharing requirements in order to participate. While pursuing the two men, government investigators downloaded an estimated $25000 worth of copywritten material from their hubs.

The two face sentencing on April 29 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Chris Richardson is a search engine writer and editor for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest search news.