Hacker Sentenced to Prison, Told to Avoid High Technology

Labeling him a “threat to the community,” a federal judge has sentenced hacker Kevin Mitnick to 22 months in prison and ordered him to stay away from virtually all forms of high technology for at least three years.

U.S. District Judge Mariana Pfaelzer on Friday imposed eight conditions in which the notorious computer hacker must keep clear of computer hardware, software, modems and cellular phones without the consent of his probation officer.

Mitnick was also ordered not to consult or advise any groups with regard to computers, work in computer-related fields or use false identities.

Mitnick, 33, had pleaded guilty to possessing illegal cellular phone codes while on release from a 1989 computer fraud conviction.

Defense attorney Donald C. Randolf complained that the terms were overly broad and improper. “They are Amish-like,” Randolf said. Once Mitnick is released, Randolf said, it will be as if “he lived in a log cabin in the wilderness.”

The hacker has been in custody since February 1995, when he was arrested in North Carolina. Mitnick was accused of possessing numerous fraudulent cellular phone codes used to illegally access cellular phone networks. He pleaded guilty to one count of illegal possession of cellular phone numbers and was sentenced to an eight-month prison term. That came in addition to 14 months for violating the terms of his supervised release.

Mitnick is awaiting trial, probably to begin next year, on multiple counts of computer and wire fraud, interception of wire communications and possession of unauthorized passwords.

His attorney said Mitnick has already been in prison for 22 months and will file a motion for bail. But authorities said they will keep him in custody based on the pending case in which he faces more than 100 years in prison.