San Diego

William Landreth, the computer whiz kid known as the “Cracker” for his ability to break into computerized mail networks, was arraigned Thursday on charges he violated his probation.

Landreth, 22, of Poway, said little during his brief San Diego appearance before U.S. Magistrate Irma Gonzalez after his extradition from Portland, Ore.

Gonzalez ordered Landreth held without bail and set a hearing for Monday.

Landreth vanished last year but was arrested near Portland last week after a resident saw him acting suspiciously around her house. She called police, and they discovered that he was a fugitive after a routine background check.

According to wire reports, Landreth wore no shoes and had been living as a transient in the Portland area. In court he wore a black jail jump suit.

Landreth had been placed on three years’ probation for a 1984 wire fraud case in which he admitted illegally gaining access to an electronic mail network in Vienna, Va.

According to the probation violation charges, Landreth missed his Aug. 25 and Sept. 16 appointments with the probation department last year and missed sending in regular reports of his whereabouts.

Landreth is also accused of going to Florida last year for a speaking engagement, which was also a violation of probation because he needed permission to leave Southern California.

Landreth wrote a book about his experiences before he left Poway last year.