Yvonne Eugenia Hughes-Holt  changed her plea to guilty on May 13 in Federal Court in front of Judge Mickle.

According to the Statement of Facts filed with the court, Hughes-Holt, who operated American Cable TV, Inc., “illegally received, distributed, and sold DirecTV’s and Dish Network’s copyrighted, proprietary satellite signals. It was part of the scheme that (Holt) would and did establish accounts with satellite television providers DirecTV and Dish Network under her name and address. She also established separate accounts with DirecTV and&#8200ish Network under her sister, father, and other relatives’ names and addresses without their permission or knowledge.” She then re-transmitted the signals by combining the signals into one integrated cable signal and sold the signals.

The statement also says that she paid the subscription fees with her perosnal American Express card, and then established sub-accounts under the names of her relatives without their permission to establish the multiple satellite accounts, and paid the American Express bills with money drawn from ACTV business accounts. Holt also failed to pay $167,000 in sales tax to the Florida Department of Revenue on the sales.

Holt pled guilty to Fraud by wire, radio or television, and faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, a three year term of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and a $100 special asessment. She also pled guilty to “Unauthorized Communication: Satellite Piracy”, on which she faces a maximum term of two years, a year of supervised release, a $50,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Holt agreed to make restitution to all victims and to pay the Department of Revenue the $167,000 in back taxes.

As a result of her guilty plea, “the United States Attorney, Northern District of Florida, will not file any criminal charges against Thomas Holt, her husband, arising out of the same transactions or occurrences to which” Holt pled guilty.  She agreed to forfeit “all forfeitable assets” to the government. Her home will not be subject to forefeiture as long as a home equity line of credit is obtained against the home to pay for restitution in the case.

Sentencing is set for September 7, 2010 at 1:30 pm in the U.S. Courthouse in Gainesville before Chief Judge Stephan P. Mickle.