WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- A New York state man who sent out millions of "spam" e-mails was sentenced to 3-1/2 to seven years in prison, the state attorney general's office said Thursday.

Howard Carmack, known as the "Buffalo Spammer," received the maximum sentence for 14 counts of identity theft and forgery, a spokesman for New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said.

Carmack sent out 825 million bulk e-mail messages using stolen identities and forged addresses, the court found, and was the first defendant to face charges under the state's new identity-theft statute.

He was found guilty in April.

The forgery conviction fetched the longest sentence, while the other convictions drew shorter sentences of one year to four years. All will be served concurrently, Spitzer spokesman Brad Maione said.

Carmack could be out in 3-1/2 years should he behave in prison, Maione said.

Internet provider EarthLink Inc. won a $16.5 million judgment against Carmack last year, and EarthLink officials testified in the criminal trial as well.

"We're satisfied that today's sentencing sends a strong message to spammers, and EarthLink will continue to investigate spammers and work with law enforcement," said EarthLink assistant general counsel Karen Cashion in a statement.

Unwanted bulk messages now account for roughly 83 percent of e-mail traffic, according to filtering company Postini Inc.

Many of Carmack's alleged activities are illegal under a national anti-spam law that took effect in January, seven months after he was charged.

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Hmmm.... Hold that thought!

*jogs over to the New York Prison, grabs Carmack by the ear, slams him against the bars, takes out a black rubber club, and hits him with it.*

"That's for all the people who ended up in Hostile Work Environments because of you!"

*Bangs Carmack's head against the bars three times.*

"That's for the Recovering Porn Addicts that had Relapses because of you!"

*Carmack escapes into the shadows of his cell. The Whackmiester pays the jailer fifteen dollars to let him into the cell and clober him some more. The jailer accepts the bribe and the Whackmiester walks in, kicking him over and over while Carmack cowers in the corner.*

"That was for all the companies that crumbled because of worms in *your* spam!"

*Hoping to escape the wrath of the Whackmiester, Carmack tries to escape the cell, but the Jailer already closed and locked the door. With a 'disgruntled employee' look on his face, Whack takes out a scroll of Summon Bubba. He reads the scroll and a fat guy in a prison outfit appears.*

"And this is for the little guy!"

*with that, the Whackmiester takes out a ring of improved invisibility and vanishes. He Re-Appears back in IW.*

*ahem* Anyway...back to the subject of the busted spammer.

[ 05-27-2004, 09:10 PM: Message edited by: The Whackmiester ]

isnt there a death penalty thing for that?

you know what i want? i want 825 charges of harrassment to be brought against the guy and let him rot...

Excellent! Suits the maniac right!

However i must disagree with you whackmiester.

You hit him with a rubber club. You had to hit him with a working chainsaw. :D

Hey Whackmeister, aren't they holding a job position open for you -- at Abu Ghraib? :D

Chainsaw is too merciful. Spammers deserve pain! And I'm not talking about the ordinary rubber clubs, I'm talking about the really freaking hard ones that could crack your skull faster then you could say "Police Brutality"

That just wasn't funny, Timber, the Abu Ghraib prison abuse is horrible and not suitable materal for comedy.

It's even worse then when my dad tells his dirty jokes at the dinner table.

Back to the topic.

I'm glad the spammer got convicted, but the rest I wont comment.

That just wasn't funny, Timber, the Abu Ghraib prison abuse is horrible and not suitable materal for comedy.

It's even worse then when my dad tells his dirty jokes at the dinner table.

Back to the topic. </font>[/QUOTE]Oh, I could think of more things that are not supposed to be comical, yet are used for jokes and the likes. You yourself just mention chopping a man in little bits using a chainsaw. Now there comical relief, phoo-ee! :rolleyes:

That just wasn't funny, Timber, the Abu Ghraib prison abuse is horrible and not suitable materal for comedy.

It's even worse then when my dad tells his dirty jokes at the dinner table.

Back to the topic. </font>[/QUOTE]Yeah. Silly TL. Such tragic events can't be jokes untill 22.3 years have passed, y'know ;)

Hear, hear!
Sorry Whackmeister, but you have a slightly, how shall I put this, ODD way of posting, and that might invite such comments.