Whenever stuff like this comes up I wonder how someone of some intelligence can work through the details of committing such a crime but seems unable to implement a few degrees of separation from the criminal act and themselves. It's not that difficult although it requires imagination more than technical skill. The criminals who get caught seem to be playing out a sad little interior movie staring themselves as a 'swashbuckling', archetypal character. More often than not it's more like a comic book character. It's quite sad really, but, I guess for professional criminals, it's a welcomed escapade to keep the police busy.

Come on, surely this guy could be turned loose against the enermies of freedom?

Say to him: "You get to keep 1% of everything you can rip off China" ?

He's got the skills, buy the trust.

He should of got a job as soon as he was out. He should of gained trust and actually helped protect systems and whatever by showing how he can hack into them so then they can fix it up.

Ok yes, he will need alot of trust to be doing that - but just shove him on a dev enviroment to test with so theres no actuall proper data there.

"Come on, surely this guy could be turned loose against the enermies of freedom?"

Hasn't he already hacked Miiitary contractors, you know, the sort of people that sell land mines to third world countries and sell hardware to kill innocent people who happen to live in countries, who happen not to tow the US line?

"It's quite sad really, but, I guess for professional criminals, it's a welcomed escapade to keep the police busy."

Just wanted to post that I totally agree: these people have always made me think "too much TV" - however I feel I must point out that the lower 80% of criminals (electronic or simple punch-in-the-face kind) actually behave in this fashion.

No doubt some tinfoil hat conspiracy theorist sees these people as plants, automatons, or... well actually i'd love to know ;-)

Speaking from the perspective of an ID theft victim, I say hang him high. 5 years of fighting the collection agencies who would simply resell the account instead of correct it, calls at all hours of night & day, dozens of letters, police reports & "proper paperwork" w/the big 3 credit companies didn't move a soul until I hired a...gulp...attorney. At the very least, keep this boy in jail for life!

Once you're labeled a criminal by the feds, it's like wearing a scarlet letter for the rest of your life.

The federal "justice" systems produces more criminals by making sure people who have done their time can't get another job doing anything other then cleaning toilets or picking fruit in the fields, even with several college degrees.

Maybe if the feds would fix their FCUKED up legal system, people could put their lives back together and be giving another chance at life. As it is now, 80% of those released by the feds are left with little options other then crap jobs or questionable activities if they ever wish to leads a good life again.

I've been in Max's shoes, and I know what it's like. Until you've felt the full power of the feds and you get to see first hand how it effects every aspect of your life, for the rest of your life, none of you have any room to preach.

Maybe bronc, you broke the moral law & did some bad to innocent p who are just livin their lives & having fun w/NORMAL! Cry me a river.