Phoenix man sentenced in computer malware case

PHOENIX - A Phoenix man has been sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in connection with a computer malware case.

Federal prosecutors say 30-year-old Joshua Schichtel also was ordered to serve three years of supervised release after his 30-month prison term. He was sentenced Thursday by a federal judge in Washington, D.C.

Schichtel pleaded guilty in August 2011 to one count of attempting to cause damage to multiple computers without authorization by the transmission of programs, codes or commands.

Authorities say Schichtel sold access to "botnets." Those are networks of computers that have been infected with a malicious program that allows unauthorized users to control them.

Schichtel pleaded guilty to causing software to be installed on about 72,000 computers on behalf of a customer who paid him $1,500 for the botnet's use.