Four accused of selling 'jail-broken' Amazon Fire TV Sticks at Auburndale flea market
AUBURNDALE, Fla. - Polk County investigators arrested four suspects at the International Market World Flea Market for illegally selling "jail-broken" Amazon Fire TV Sticks, they said.
The suspects were identified as 71-year-old Lorinda Marlene Holm, 88-year-old Bongwoo Roe, 34-year-old Luis Gabriel Vazquez, and 59-year-old Grace Yarbrough.
Sheriff Grady Judd said a "concerned citizen" made a report to the sheriff's office and began the investigation in October.
Detectives said they learned the items were being sold at the Auburndale flea market. In all, they seized 36 of the devices.
"The bottom line is whether it's stealing from a store, stealing from your neighbor or stealing from an internet provider, when you are stealing intellectual property you are violating the law," Judd said.
The devices would allow access to internet-based streaming services for free, "without expressed authorization of the communications service provider and without payment for the services."
"I have a Christmas tip: Just don’t violate the law this year and you will have a lot less complicated life, we won't bother you at all," the sheriff said. "If you continue to violate the law, 2021 won't be any better for you than 2020."
The sheriff's office said the suspects worked in individual booths at the flea market.
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The following information was provided by the Polk County Sheriff's Office:
Holm sold two illegal Fire Sticks to undercover detectives at the cost of $107 each. Holm told detectives that she jailbreaks the devices herself and even jailbreaks regular Fire Sticks customers may bring her. She also provided a live tutorial of how the unauthorized Fire Sticks operate.
Booking image for Lorinda Holm (Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office)
Roe sold three illegal Fire Sticks to undercover detectives (2 at the cost of $85 each, one for $90). Roe also provided the detectives with a live tutorial of how the unauthorized Fire Sticks operate. Roe was not jailbreaking the devices himself.
Booking image for Bongwoo Roe (Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office)
Vazquez sold three illegal Fire Sticks to undercover detectives for $80 each. During the purchase, Vazquez told detectives he jailbreaks the devices himself, and provided the detectives a tutorial of how the unauthorized Fire Sticks operate.
Booking image for Luis Vazquez (Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office)
Yarbrough sold three illegal Fire Sticks to undercover detectives for $100 each. Yarbrough told detectives that she jailbreaks the Fire Sticks herself, and provided the detectives a tutorial of how the unauthorized Fire Sticks operate.
Booking image for Grace Yarbrough (Courtesy: Polk County Sheriff's Office)
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