> Its Unclear What Criminal Law He Violated<p>It doesn't matter if you make a deal, right? The possibility of funky charges is partly why we have a court system. We get jacked up charges, we can fight them in court. If those charges really are jacked up, then you win. We make a deal on jacked up charges, then they are ours.
from the article
And it seems like that may be the only thing he really did wrong from the explanation. He worked for a site that some people used for infringement -- but that's true of lots of internet companies. And he personally downloaded some stuff -- which is also true of a huge number of people. How does he end up in jail for a year other than because the US government came down on him, and he had no other option?