The many people who have given me a leg up during the course of my career are too numerous to list. (It is tempting to attempt to do so, however, as each person named is more likely to buy a copy of this book.) The contribution of Phil Attfield to both the success of this case and to the advancement of my own knowledge should be evident to anyone who reads this book. Curtis Rose and Kevin Mandia, whose consummate professionalism was inspirational, helped me get my foot in the door at the publishing world.
I owe much of my enthusiasm for computer crime problems to Scott Charney and Marty Stansell-Gamm, the first two Chiefs of the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. Both were instrumental in creating a national computer crime program that became a model for the world. It was noteworthy for its emphasis on practical solutions to nascent problems in cyberspace that had real-world analogies.
The FBI hierarchy has a perhaps well-deserved reputation for being stuffy. The working agents—the men and women of the FBI who investigate cases—are the best of the best. The public should feel privileged to have them watching their backs. In this case, Special Agents Dana Macdonald, Marty Prewett, Mike Schuler, Melissa Mallon, Milan Patel, and Marty Leeth reflect great credit on law enforcement. Leslie Sanders, who created and managed the digital images used in the trial, was an asset beyond belief. My Legal Assistant, Sal Nouth, was truly a partner on the case, handling the difficult document preparation, as well as keeping happy the numerous out-of-town witnesses who were subpoenaed for the trial. Her tireless efforts and unfailing good humor were assets of incalculable value.
Among my numerous friends and colleagues at the United States Attorney’s Office in Seattle, several enthusiastically supported my involvement in the national computer crime program. United States Attorney Kate Pflaumer was among the first in the nation to recognize the importance of developing a national computer crime program, and welcomed my interest. Mark Bartlett, as Criminal Chief and First Assistant United States Attorney, not only endorsed the program, but had my back, protecting me from having too many routine ankle-biter cases assigned that might interfere with my duties as Computer and Telecommunications Coordinator. Finally, my colleague Floyd Short jumped into the case on rather short notice, bringing his considerable knowledge and drive to the case.
Other local colleagues provided unstinting support. My friend Ivan Orton at the King County Prosecutor’s Office was a pioneer in the computer crime arena, and has been my primary resource in the field over the years, beginning at a time when the two of us were the only people in the state who were working those cases. Dr. Barbara Endicott-Popovsky, the Director of the Center for Information Assurance and Cybersecurity University of Washington, sponsored my entry into academia at Seattle University and the University of Washington. Also, a tip of the hat is due to Kirk Bailey, the charismatic founder of the Agora, the regional gathering of cyber security professionals. His support of the Gorshkov prosecution was central, not least his introduction of Phil Attfield to the case.
My editors at Cengage Learning, Kezia Endsley and Heather Hurley, provided support and expert feedback with unfailing good humor, even in the face of the seemingly interminable delays in getting the manuscript cleared by the Department of Justice. A special thanks is due to Vernon Lewis at the Executive Office for US Attorneys for his efforts to move the review process forward.
Finally, the importance of the support of my cherished wife, Cheryl, and our talented children, Jessica, Andrea, Molly, Chris, and Reid, throughout the process of writing this book cannot be overstated. Their unflagging belief in the project carried me through the rough spots.