Republican Tea Party leader arrested for computer piracy

Posted on Jul 27th 2011 by Mike Luttrell

A heavyweight for the political Tea Party movement in the south has most likely just crippled his potential political future.

61-year-old Anthony Trinca was arrested for allegedly selling pirated versions of high-end computer software. Microsoft Office, Windows, Adobe Photoshop, and Rosetta Stone language programs were all listed as software that he sold illegally.

Trinca is the president of the Grand Strand Tea Party, based in South Carolina, which strives to spread messages about how big government is evil and that America needs to return to its conservative roots.

His software piracy scheme came to an end after one of his customers purchased four copies of Rosetta Stone software, and then tried to resell the software himself. The person he sold it to found out it was an illegal copy.

So when he tried to go back to Trinca for a refund, Trinca refused. That's when the police got involved.

Local news station WMBF reports that Trinca kept all sorts of software packages around his home. His sony Michael, 23, was also arrested for the same charge.

Specifically, both face charges of "unauthorized use or trafficking in counterfeit trademarks" are were released on $5,000 bond.

It is another blow to the already crumbling Tea Party, which didn't have as strong a presence in the last midterm election as expected, and is losing favor as the noted leaders of the movement fail to deliver on their promises.