If you’re as sick of spam as I am, this will make you happy!
LEESBURG, Va. — Two men charged with running one of the most prolific spamming operations in the world surrendered Friday to Virginia authorities.
Jeremy Jaynes, of Raleigh, N.C., turned himself in to Loudoun County authorities on Friday, as did Richard Rutkowski of Cary, N.C. Both men had been free on bonds set by North Carolina authorities.
Both men were indicted last week, becoming the first people in the U.S. charged with felonies accusing them of sending unsolicited bulk e-mails. Virginia prosecutors charged them under a tough new state anti-spam law that took effect July 1.
They are accused of sending hundreds of thousands of unsolicited e-mail messages hawking everything from mortgage rates to stock schemes.
More than 50 percent of all Internet traffic across the world passes through Virginia because American Online and 1,300 other service providers or technology companies are located in northern Virginia.
Jaynes posted $125,000 bond and Rutkowski posted $60,000 bond. Both are due back in court Feb. 13.
If convicted, each could get up to 20 years in prison fines as high as $10,000.