John Kelsey Gammell, Computer Attack, Minnesota 2017

A New Mexico man has pleaded guilty to directing computer attacks against the websites of his prior employers, business competitors and public services in Minnesota.

John Kelsey Gammell, 55, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to cause intentional damage to a protected computer and two counts of being a felon-in-possession before District Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright of the District of Minnesota.

According to admissions made in connection with his plea, from at least in or about July 2015 through in or about March 2017, Gammell engaged in a campaign of distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks on websites throughout the United States.

A DDoS attack is a malicious attempt to disable or interrupt service to a computer or website, usually by causing large amounts of internet traffic to be directed to the computer or website. Gammell directed DDoS attacks at a number of victims' websites, including websites operated by companies he used to work for, companies that declined to hire him, competitors of his business, and websites for law enforcement agencies and courts, among others.

Gammell admitted that he caused DDoS attacks by using computer programs on his own computers, as well as by directing 'DDoS-for-hire' companies from which he purchased services to launch the DDoS attacks. Gammell purchased subscriptions to multiple DDoS-for-hire companies, including VDoS, CStress, Inboot, Booter.xyz, and IPStresser.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota stated that Gammell's actions caused real harm to real victims and carried serious consequences. The FBI Minneapolis Division Special Agent in Charge Richard Thornton added that cybercrime has real-world consequences and affects not only individuals but also businesses and critical infrastructure.

Gammell is set to be sentenced at a later date. As a convicted felon, he also admitted to possessing parts for use in the building of AR-15 assault rifles, upper and lower receivers, a pistol grip, a trigger guard, 15 high-capacity magazines, a buttstock, a buffer tube, and 420 rounds of 5.56 x 45mm full metal jacket rifle ammunition.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn/pr/new-mexico-man-pleads-guilty-directing-computer-attacks-against-websites-dozens-victims-0