Associated Press - September 13,1995

        NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- An on-line invitation to buy stolen computer
data led to the arrest of six computer users and the seizure of
more than 20 computer systems, the U.S. Secret Service announced
Monday.
        ``Operation Cybersnare'' sought computer users who were dealing
in stolen cellular telephone and credit card data worth millions of
dollars, said Peter A. Cavicchia II, special agent in charge of the
Secret Service's office for New Jersey, where the sting was based.
        Agents have arrested suspects in California, Michigan, Texas,
and Brooklyn, N.Y. They also grabbed computer hardware and data in
those states as well as Alaska, Connecticut, New Jersey and
Virginia.
        ``What we really did was set up an old-fashioned `swag shop' in
cyberspace,'' said Assistant U.S. Attorney Donna A. Krappa, who is
prosecuting the case. A swag shop is an establishment where stolen
goods are traded.
        The eight-month investigation was based in Bergen County, where
an undercover Secret Service agent using the name ``Carder One''
and a confidential informant operated a private computer bulletin
board system called ``Celco 51,'' authorities said.
        A bulletin board is an electronic meeting place where computer
users can exchange information. During the probe, officers
identified people broke into computers and stole information to get
free cellular phone service, authorities said.
        Over the Internet, the undercover team advertised that Celco 51
catered to those involved with all aspects of computer fraud, court
papers said.
        The cellular phone fraud targeted in this case is usually
accomplished by stealing electronic serial numbers and mobile
identification numbers, authorities said.
        Pairs of these numbers are programmed into cell phones and
establish billing for customers. People have broken into computer
systems operated by cellular companies and stolen blocks of pairs,
authorities said.
        A pair of active numbers can be programmed into a cellular
phone. Calls made on the ``cloned'' phone are charged to the
legitimate user, who only discovers the fraud when checking the
monthly bill.
        Arrested late Friday were:
        -- Richard Lacap, Katy, Texas, who used the computer alias
``Chillin,'' and Kevin Watkins of Houston, ``Led,'' who were
accused of conspiring to break into the Portland, Ore., computer
system of McCaw Cellular, now AT&T Wireless.
        Watkins used the computer system of Embry Riddle University in
Prescott, Ariz., to enter the McCaw computer, Secret Service
Special Agent Stacey Bauerschmidt said in a sworn statement.
        -- Jeremy Cushing, Huntington Beach, Calif., ``Alpha Bits,''
accused of trafficking in cloned cellular telephone equipment and
stolen access devices used to program cellular phones.
        -- Frank Natoli, Brooklyn, ``Mmind,'' charged with trafficking in
stolen access devices.
        -- Al Bradford, Detroit, ``Cellfone,'' accused of trafficking in
unauthorized access devices.
        -- Michael Clarkson, Brooklyn, ``Barcode,'' charged with
possessing and trafficking in hardware used to obtain unauthorized
access to telecommunications services.
        If convicted, defendants face maximum possible sentences ranging
from 15 years for Cushing to 10 years for Bradford, Clarkson and
Natoli and five years for Lacap and Watkins.