When the US government decides to take down a website offering access to free TV streams over the Internet, it doesn't mess around. Newly unsealed court documents show that Brian McCarthy, the 32-year old alleged operator of Channelsurfing.net, got the complete treatment—investigators dug into his domain name registrar, his ISP, his Gmail account, his ad brokers, and the Texas driver's license database. They even sent a surveillance team to the Deer Park, Texas home where McCarthy lived with his parents.

McCarthy had his Channelsurfing.net domain name seized on February 1 as part of the controversial "In Our Sites" investigation from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). That program seizes domain names, often of foreign websites, without an adversarial hearing; special agents simply convince a federal judge that the domain should be seized, and it is. Domains are replaced with an ICE logo and explanation that they now belong to the US government.

The government does not appear to file follow-up charges in many of these cases, content simply to seize the domains and hope the operator goes away. That's particularly true for the foreign cases, which would be hard to prosecute in any event. But when a website offers complete access to professional US football, basketball, and hockey games along with "ultimate fighting" and pro wrestling, and when the operator of that website can be found in Texas, uses US domain name registrars, US-based e-mail, and US-based money transfer (PayPal)—he's a fat target for the feds, and one who's easy to grab.

McCarthy has just been arrested for “criminal infringement of a copyright" even though his site only links to other content (that is, it doesn't host the infringing sports broadcasts itself). ICE doesn't care; McCarthy is still charged with "reproduction and distribution" over Channelsurfing.net, from which he allegedly made at least $90,000 over the last five years by framing the streamed content with his own ads.

But it's the thorough nature of the investigation that really stands out. McCarthy tried to cover his tracks, but the government's criminal complaint suggests he wasn't all that sly about it. Here's how the feds found him.

Namecheap. McCarthy registered his Channelsurfing.net domain name through a company called Namecheap. So ICE went to Namecheap and asked for the records associated with the account. Those records showed that the domain name was registered to one "Allen Allen" who listed a post office box in Deer Park, Texas. Mr. Allen's e-mail address was chevys@gmail.com.

Comcast. "Allen Allen" clearly being a pseudonym, ICE then turned to Comcast. Allen had connected to his Namecheap account from an IP address controlled by the cable giant, and Comcast turned over information to investigators showing that the IP address was linked to one David McCarthy in Deer Park.

PayPal. Namecheap's records showed that the Channelsurfing.net account had been paid from a PayPal account. The company's billing records revealed that the account in question was listed as belonging to one Brian McCarthy who used an e-mail address of chevys@gmail.com.

Public records. What was the connection between Brian and David McCarthy? Investigators searched public records and learned that Brian was David's son, and that he was 32 years old.

Gmail. The feds then went to Google, which turned over information on the Gmail account in question. Chevys@gmail.com was registered to Brian McCarthy at the same Deer Park address Comcast had revealed.

Ad networks. Investigators now had a name and address, but they also wanted to know just how much money the website had earned. They went to ad brokers ValueClick and Epic Advertising and found that the two companies had paid at least $90,000 to Brian McCarthy.

DMV. Investigators then went to the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles to find out whether McCarthy actually lived with his father; the address on Brian's drivers' license was the same one Comcast had linked to David.

Surveillance. Local investigators then got involved. They staked out the Deer Park address and confirmed that Brian “appears to reside at that address” and that his car is routinely parked there.

And with that, on February 28 the feds asked a judge for Brian McCarthy's arrest. The request was granted by a federal judge in New York City, where the investigation had taken place, and McCarthy was brought into custody. US Attorney Preet Bharara said the case show the government's willingness to "vigorously protect valuable intellectual property rights not only through domain name seizures, but also where appropriate through arrests."

McCarthy could face up to five years in prison based on the single charge he currently faces.