A Virginia circuit judge has sentenced a convicted spammer to nine years in jail, the first custodial sentence to be issued to a bulk emailer in the United States. A jury was convinced that Jeremy Jaynes of North Carolina fell foul of a law only enacted two weeks ago.

The spammer, together with his sister (who was sentenced to a small fine) and an accomplice (who was acquitted) was indicted by a Loudon County Grand Jury in December 2003, and convicted late last year.

Jaynes was sending out at least 10 million emails a day using 16 broadband lines, grossing between $400,000 and $700,000 a month on expenses of around $50,000 - a handsome profit. Jaynes snared one punter for around every 30,000 emails sent.

Jaynes is free on bond until the appeal is decided. If it fails, Jeremy Jaynes will be able to offer penis enlargement remedies in prison - a very risky proposition. ®

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