United States Attorney Paul E. Coggins announced today that Andrew Miffleton, age 25, of Arlington, Texas was sentenced today in federal court before the Honorable United States District Judge Joe Kendall to 21 months imprisonment and ordered to pay a $3000.00 fine.  Miffleton was also ordered by Judge Kendall to pay $89,480.00 in restitution to Verio, Inc., a national Internet Service Provider (ISP).  Miffleton had pled guilty in December 1999 to an indictment charging him with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3), possession of unauthorized access devices.

Miffleton associated himself with a group known as "the Darkside Hackers."  This very computer-savvy group was interested in accessing computer systems without authorization, or  "hacking" into computers.  "The Darkside Hackers" also were interested in using unauthorized access devices to fraudulently obtain cellular telephone service through cloned cellular telephones or long distance telephone service through stolen calling card numbers.

From May 1998 to February 1999, Miffleton, using the computer moniker, "Daphtpunk," hosted a web page for "the Darkside Hackers" on his computer at his residence.  In February 1999, Miffleton possessed, with the intent to defraud, a list of computer passwords from a national ISP.   This password list contained root-level passwords which afforded the user complete control over a computer system.
 
Miffleton trafficked in some of these passwords by giving them to others in "the Darkside Hackers."  Miffleton and others used these passwords to access computer systems throughout the country without authorization.  Miffleton's conduct resulted in an almost $90,000 loss to the ISP, Verio, Inc.

In February 1999, Miffleton also possessed the following unauthorized access devices:  approximately 40 individual user-level passwords for the ISP; approximately 20 electronic serial numbers/mobile identification number pairs for cellular telephone service; one AT&T calling card number and approximately five credit card numbers.  All of these were unauthorized access devices that were obtained by Miffleton with the intent to defraud the providers of the access devices.

United States Attorney Coggins praised the aggressive investigative work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and said, "Hackers who steal consumers' personal information for harassment or profit will be vigorously prosecuted.  We will continue to use all our present resources  to ensure that perpetrators of these crimes are punished, in federal courts, to the fullest extent of the law."  United States Attorney Coggins further stated, "We are fully committed to supporting the North Texas Regional Computer Forensic Lab, the premier regional computer forensic lab in the country.  This regional lab is enabling local, state and federal agencies to crack down on cybercrooks and the explosion of cybercrime."

Assistant United States Attorney Reid Wittliff prosecuted the case.