Alleged Melissa maker nicked

US police yesterday arrested David L Smith, a network programmer for an unnamed software developer, as the alleged perpetrator of the Melissa Windows email virus. The 30-year-old Smith was charged with interfering with a public communication system. If convicted, he faces a sentence of five to ten years in prison and a maximum fine of $150,000. According to a spokeswoman for US Attorney General Peter Verniero, Smith was tracked down with the help of AOL technical staff. It is believed the unique ID added to documents created by Microsoft application was used to pinpoint Smith's location. However, this was not confirmed by the spokeswoman. Police and FBI agents then conducted an investigation in Smith's New Jersey neighbourhood, and eventually located him in his brother's home. Once charged, Smith was released on $100,000 bail. ®