 |
|
|
Press Release |
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas
1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699
Telephone (214)659-8600
Fax (214)767-2898
|
Computer Hacker Pleads Guilty in Federal Court
United States Attorney Paul E. Coggins announced today that Andrew Miffleton pled guilty today in federal court before the Honorable District Judge Joe Kendall to Count 1 of an Indictment that charged him with violating Title 18, United States Code, Section 1029(a)(3), possession of unauthorized access devices. Miffleton, age 24, of Arlington, Texas, faces a maximum punishment of ten years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He could be ordered by the court to make full restitution to the victims of his crime.Miffleton associated himself with a group known as "the Darkside Hackers." This group, with a very high level of computer knowledge and skill, 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 Internet company. This password list contained root-level passwords which afford 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 a $90,000 loss to the Internet company. In February, 1999, Miffleton also possessed the following unauthorized access devices: approximately 40 individual user-level passwords for an Internet service provider; 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, "Because of the explosion of cybercrimes, we are fully committed to establishing in North Texas the premier regional computer forensic lab in the country. This regional lab will enable local, state and federal agencies to crack down on cybercrooks."
Assistant United States Attorney Reid Wittliff is the prosecuting attorney.
###