18-5.5-102. Computer crime.


(1) A person commits computer crime if the person knowingly:
    (a) Accesses a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof without authorization; exceeds authorized access to a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof; or uses a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof without authorization or in excess of authorized access; or
    (b) Accesses any computer, computer network, or computer system, or any part thereof for the purpose of devising or executing any scheme or aritifice to defraud
    (c) Accesses any computer, computer network, or computer system, or any part thereof to obtain, by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, or promises, money; property; services; passwords or similar information through which a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof may be accessed; or other thing of value; or
    (d) Accesses any computer, computer network, or computer systems, or any part thereof to commit theft; or
    (e) Without authorization or in excess of authorized access alters, damages, interrupts, or causes the interruption or impairment of the proper functioning of, or causes any damage to, any computer, computer network, computer system, computer software, program, application, documentation, or data contained in such computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof; or
    (f) Causes the transmission of a computer program, software, information, code, data, or command by means of a computer, computer network, or computer system or any part thereof with the intent to cause damage to or to cause the interruption or impairment of the proper functioning of any computer, computer network, computer system, or part therof.

(3)(a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subsection (3), if the loss, damage, value of services, or thing of value taken, or cost of restoration or repair caused by a violation of this section is less than five hundred dollars, computer crime is a class 2 misdemeanor; if five hundred dollars or more but less than one thousand dollars, computer crime is a class 1 misdemeanor; if one thousand dollars or more but less than twenty thousand dollars, computer crime is a class 4 felony; if twenty thousand dollars or more, computer crime is a class 3 felony.
    (b) Computer crime committed in violation of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section is a class 2 misdemeanor; except that, if the person has previously been convicted under this section, a previous version of this section, or a statute of another state of similar content and purport, computer crime committed in violation of paragraph (a) of subsection (1) of this section is a class 6 felony.

Explanation: If, for example, a person purposely released a virus into the Fort Lewis College computer network and crashed the entire college network, that person could be charged with computer crime as a class 3 felony, and would be looking at four to twelve years of imprisonment and a three to 750 THOUSAND dollar fine if convicted.
FORT LEWIS COLLEGE      1000 RIM DRIVE DURANGO, COLORADO 81301      (877)FLC-COLO(TOLL FREE)      ADMISSION@FORTLEWIS.EDU