9 Years For Spam

By WebProNews - Sat, 04/09/2005 - 13:10

A judge in Loudoun County Virginia sentenced spammer Jeremy Jaynes to nine years in prison in the first spam-related felony prosecution in the U.S.

The trial was held in Loudoun because that is the county in which Jaynes' e-mails ran through an AOL server.

A Washington Post article says:

In sentencing Jaynes, Circuit Judge Thomas D. Horne said he would not begin serving his term because there are "substantial legal issues" related to the anti-spam law, enacted in 2003, that need to be explored. Horne also said he believes Jaynes does not pose a danger to society.

"This is a case of first impression. . . . It is a statute that is being tried for the first time," Horne said.

Jaynes, who was convicted in November, was found guilty of sending large amounts of spam, which offered bogus products. One such product was a non-existent "FedEx refund processor."

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