The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of California announced that Michael Logan pled guilty today in San Francisco to a charge of unauthorized access into a protected computer causing damage in violation of Title 18, United States Codes, Section 1030(a)(5)(C).

Mr. Logan, 34, of San Francisco, was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 25, 2001. He was charged in a three-count indictment with unauthorized access into a computer recklessly causing damage, unauthorized access into a computer causing damage, and utilizing a telecommunications device in interstate communications with intent to harass, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1030(a)(5)(B) and (a)(5)(C), and Title 47, United States Code, Section 223(a)(1)(C). Under the plea agreement, Mr. Logan pled guilty to count two of the indictment.

In pleading guilty, Mr. Logan admitted that he intentionally and without authorization accessed a computer of Catholic Healthcare West ("CHW") without authorization on or about November 28, 1999. Specifically, he admitted that he committed the computer intrusion and then sent electronic mail to approximately 30,000 employees and associates of CHW. The e-mail purported to be from a named employee of CHW and contained insulting statements about that named employee and other CHW employees. Mr. Logan further admitted that, as a result of his conduct, he caused damage of at least $5,000 to CHW. According to public records in the case, Mr. Logan actually caused damage to CHW of more than $25,000.

The sentencing of Mr. Logan is scheduled for April 26, 2002, at 11 a.m. before Judge Susan Illston in San Francisco. The maximum statutory penalty for a violation of Title 18 United States Code, Section 1030(a)(5)(C) is one year in prison and a fine of $100,000, plus restitution. However, the actual sentence will be dictated by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of factors, and will be imposed in the discretion of the Court.

This prosecution is the result of an investigation by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Computer Intrusion Squad. Ross W. Nadel, Chief of the U.S. Attorney's Office's Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property ("CHIP") Unit, is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release and related court documents may be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.

All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ross W. Nadel at (408) 535-5035 or Matthew J. Jacobs at (415) 436-7181.

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