The BBC reports that one of the defendants, Californian Albert Valente, 28, has been charged with copyright infringement for removing a copy of the film from the post-production facility where he worked.
Fellow Californian Marc Hoaglin, 36, has been charged with uploading the film onto the internet – a felony that may net him three years in prison if found guilty; while the six other defendants face copyright and distribution charges that may result in 12 months' jail-time.
The charges came the on the same day that prosecutors achieved their first conviction under a new US copyright Act that targets the unauthorised recording of films in movie theatres, and the distribution of pre-release copyrighted material.
Curtis Salisbury, 19, of St Charles, Missouri, pleaded guilty on Tuesday to two charges in connection with using a camcorder to make copies of the movies The Perfect Man and Bewitched. Copies of the films were then distributed on a computer network through warez sites, sites that offer pirated movies, games and software.
According to Reuters, Salisbury will be sentenced in February.