Cybercrime and Punishment: Sentencing Panel Discards Proxy Penalty

“The Washington-based U.S. Sentencing Commission was considering
a change to federal sentencing guidelines that would have increased
sentences by about 25 percent for people convicted of crimes in
which proxies are used to hide the perpetrators’ tracks.

“However, after digital-rights advocates complained that the
proposed language was too broad, the commission struck the
controversial language from the amendments it voted on
Wednesday.

“The commission declined to comment, saying it hasn’t yet
submitted to Congress its formal reasons for the amendment
language.

“Covering Tracks or Protecting Privacy?

“The Justice Department supported the proposed amendment as a
way to hand down stiffer sentences for people who set up elaborate
proxy networks — sometimes in multiple countries — to commit
crimes and hide their identities.”

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