Editing Melissa (computer virus) (section)

== Arrest ==
On April 1, 1999, Smith was arrested in [[New Jersey]] due to a tip from AOL and a collaborative effort involving the [[FBI]], the [[New Jersey State Police]], Monmouth Internet, a Swedish [[computer scientist]], and others. Smith was accused of causing US$80 million worth of damages by disrupting personal computers and computer networks in business and government.<ref name="collaboration">{{citation |title = Tracking Melissa's alter egos |publisher = ZDNet |date = 1999-04-02 |url = https://www.zdnet.com/article/tracking-melissas-alter-egos/}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Melissa Virus: An $80 Million Cyber Crime in 1999 Foreshadowed Modern Threats |url=https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/melissa-virus-20th-anniversary-032519 |access-date=2022-10-24 |website=Federal Bureau of Investigation |language=en-us}}</ref>

On December 10, 1999, Smith pleaded guilty to a second-degree charge of computer theft<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lemos |first=Robert |title=Smith pleads guilty to Melissa virus |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/smith-pleads-guilty-to-melissa-virus/ |access-date=2022-04-01 |website=ZDNet |language=en}}</ref> and a federal charge of damaging a computer program due to releasing the virus.<ref name="bbc-guilty"></ref>

On May 1, 2002, he was sentenced to 20 months in federal prison and fined USD $5,000.<ref name="smith-sentence">{{cite press release |title = Creator of Melissa Computer Virus Sentenced to 20 Months in Federal Prison |publisher = U.S. Department of Justice |date = 2002-05-01 |url = https://www.justice.gov/archive/criminal/cybercrime/press-releases/2002/melissaSent.htm |access-date = 2006-08-30}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/archive/criminal/cybercrime/press-releases/2002/melissaSent.htm |title=Press Release: Creator of Melissa Computer Virus Sentenced to 20 Months in Federal Prison (May 1, 2002) |website=www.justice.gov |access-date=2020-01-05}}</ref>