Tougher penalties sought for computer hackers
CARSON CITY — Embarrassing messages sent to friends and clients. Prank phone calls. Threats texted to his girlfriend.
A Las Vegas man shared a laundry list of modern technological terrors with state senators Friday, telling them about what a woman did after she felt scorned following a date with him.
“There are not words to describe how violated you feel,” Jeff Crampton said. “I live afraid of the next time it will happen.”
A Nevada senate committee was considering a bill that would raise the penalty for illegally gaining access into a computer, also known as hacking. Measure SB376, sponsored by Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, and 14 other lawmakers, would charge hacking as a low-level felony carrying a longer prison term and a fine, instead of a misdemeanor.
The misdemeanor sentence currently in state law allows for up to six months in prison and a fine of up to $1,000.
The proposed legislation would carry a prison term of one to four years and a fine of up to $5,000.
“Misdemeanor crimes are rarely prosecuted,” Cegavske said. “This gets the offender’s attention.”
Hacking includes willfully interfering with a computer network or communications device or locking someone out of their computer or device. A stricter penalty applies if the hacking interrupts a government computer system, causes injury or commits fraud.