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Slammer Time for Melissa Author
Associated Press
10:00 a.m. May 1, 2002 PDT


NEWARK, New Jersey -- The creator of the "Melissa" virus was sentenced 
Wednesday to 20 months in federal prison for causing millions of dollars of 
damage by disrupting e-mail systems worldwide in 1999.

David L. Smith, 33, pleaded guilty in December 1999 to a state charge of 
computer theft and to a federal charge of sending a damaging computer program. 
In the federal plea, both sides agreed the damage was greater than $80 million.


Smith is believed to be among the first people ever prosecuted for creating a 
computer virus. In court Wednesday, he called the act a "colossal mistake."

The Melissa virus, which struck in March 1999, was disguised as an e-mail 
marked "important message" from a friend or colleague. It caused computers to 
send 50 additional infected messages. The volume of messages generated slowed 
some systems to a crawl.

Smith could have faced up to five years in prison, but prosecutors suggested a 
term of about two years, saying he had given authorities extensive assistance 
in thwarting other virus creators. He was also fined $5,000 by U.S. District 
Judge Joseph A. Greenaway Jr.

Smith has said he created the virus on computers in his Aberdeen apartment and 
used a stolen screen name and password to get into America Online.



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