Programmer Pleads Guilty

A computer programmer pleaded guilty to unleashing the so-called Melissa computer virus, which shut down thousands of corporate e-mail systems worldwide in late March, causing at least $80 million in damages. David L. Smith, 31, pleaded guilty in a New Jersey state court to second-degree computer theft and in federal court to a charge of knowingly spreading a computer virus. Under a plea agreement, the state will recommend a sentence of 10 years in prison. He also faces a fine of as much as $150,000. On the federal charge, Smith faces a maximum of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000. The prison sentences would be served concurrently. Neither Smith nor his attorney, Edward Borden, could be reached for comment. Smith was arrested in April with the help of a tip from America Online Inc., which traced the virus to Smith’s computer. He has been free on $100,000 bond. The Melissa virus, which authorities initially said was named for a topless dancer Smith knew, was designed to lower security settings on computers with versions of Microsoft Word to make them vulnerable to other viruses.