Edward Davidson

Name

Edward Davidson

Aliases

“Fast Eddie”, “the Spam King”

Background

Edward “Eddie” Davidson (July 29, 1972 – July 24, 2008) was an American spammer who conducted a Colorado business using the name Power Promoters.

Davidson provided promotional services for companies by sending large volumes of unsolicited commercial electronic messages (“spamming”) designed to promote the visibility and sale of products offered by various companies.

Davidson operated his spamming activities from his personal residence in Bennett, Colorado, where he had a large network of computers and servers.

Davidson utilized the services and assistance of other individuals whom he hired as “sub-contractors” to provide spamming at his direction on behalf of his client companies.

Davidson possessed hundreds of thousands of e-mail addresses, which he and his sub-spammers would use to send e-mail messages.

The messages contained false header information, which concealed the actual sender from the recipient.

Davidson provided spammed messages for approximately 19 companies.

Davidson was supporting three children, which documents did not identify.

Davidson was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and a condition of his sentence was that he undergo mental health counseling.

The offence

Spamming conduct (Power Promoters)

During 2002 through the middle of 2005, Davidson’s spamming activities promoted watches, perfume, and other items.

Beginning in the middle of 2005 through 2006, Davidson sent spam on behalf of a Texas company for purposes of promoting the sale of the company’s stock.

The Texas company generated its income through selling low-value stock (commonly referred to as “penny stock”) on behalf of small companies on the public market.

Davidson, aided by several sub-spammers, sent hundreds of thousands of unsolicited e-mail messages to potential purchasers throughout the United States and the world, which messages touted the penny stock as an excellent investment.

Prosecutors said that from 2002 to 2005, Davidson’s business, Power Promoters, and his subcontractors would spam people’s inboxes with e-mails promoting items such as watches and perfume.

Prosecutors said that from 2005 through part of 2006, he sent thousands of e-mails from his home in Bennett, sometimes with false information, on behalf of a Houston company promoting a penny stock as an excellent investment, according to a plea agreement.

Prosecutors said they also found about $380,000 that he had stashed in his girlfriend’s bank account over three years, and purchases totaling $418,000 from a company that sells gold, platinum, palladium and silver coins.

Prosecutors did not identify the girlfriend in court documents.

Davidson’s bank account deposits from 2003 to 2006 totaled $3.5 million, the plea agreement said.

Davidson was convicted of falsifying email header information for a Texas company, earning $US3.5 million between 2003 and 2006.

He was also convicted of failing to report $US714,000 in taxable income.

Davidson was ordered to forfeit any weapons in his possession.

Investigation

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Denver field office, and the IRS Criminal Investigation Division.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Neff prosecuted the case.

Arrest

Davidson was assigned Inmate Number 35082-013 and housed in a minimum security part of the Florence Federal Correctional Complex in Florence, Colorado.

He was ordered to report to a facility designated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons on May 27, 2008.

Davidson walked away from a federal prison camp in Florence on July 20, 2008.

Hill phoned police to report she had been forced by Davidson to aid in his escape.

US Marshals met Hill during the week, said Ken Deal, chief deputy for the marshals.

The 16-year-old told deputies that Davidson lured them to a home improvement store east of Denver on Thursday, then forced his way into the SUV.

He drove them to their former home south-west of Bennett, about 39 kilometres east of Denver, where authorities said he operated his spamming business.

Davidson asked his family to talk about good times as they drove to the house and asked his wife if they would be together “when everything was over”.

“Eddie pulled a gun out and would put it in his mouth and point it to his head,” the teen said.

She and Hill said, “No, Eddie, we love you. Don’t do it.”

Once at the house, Davidson got out of the car on the driver’s side, pointed the gun at his wife, who tried to grab it, then shot her.

He then turned and shot the teen in the neck, and Bailey, who was strapped to a car seat.

Mr Deal said authorities were unable to determine where Davidson got the gun.

He said they were investigating whether his wife had helped him escape.

Trial

Indictment and plea

Davidson was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 5, 2007 for violating the CAN SPAM Act.

He pled guilty in U.S. District Court before Judge Marcia S. Krieger on December 3, 2007.

Sentencing

On April 28, 2008, Davidson was sentenced by Krieger to serve 21 months in federal prison.

Judge Krieger also ordered him to pay $714,139 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

As part of the restitution, Davis agreed to forfeit property, including gold coins, which he purchased with the proceeds of his activities.

At the sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Marcia Krieger ordered Davidson to report to a facility designated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons on May 27, 2008.

At the time of sentencing, Judge Krieger ordered Davidson to report to a facility designated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons on May 27, 2008.

When Davidson was sentenced, U.S. District Judge Marcia Krieger noted it was Davidson’s first serious conviction, and that he was supporting three children, which documents did not identify.

She noted Davidson had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

A condition of his sentence was that he undergo mental health counseling.

At the sentencing, Judge Krieger said Davidson was not considered a flight risk nor a danger to anyone.

Appeals

No appeal information was provided.

Outcome

Escape, deaths, and surviving family members

Davidson was subsequently found dead in Arapahoe County, Colorado on the morning of July 24, 2008, after reportedly killing his wife and three-year-old daughter who was strapped to a car seat, in an apparent murder-suicide.

His 16-year-old daughter was also shot, but has survived, while his 7 month old son remained unharmed.

Federal authorities had been searching for Davidson since he and Hill drove away from the jail in Florence, south of Denver, last Sunday.

The bodies of “Spam King” Edward “Eddie” Davidson, his wife, and 3-year-old daughter were found in an SUV parked in a farmhouse driveway in a rural part of Bennett, about 25 miles east of Denver.

Authorities said Davidson was the apparent gunman.

A teenage girl was shot in the neck and a baby was found unhurt in a car seat inside the vehicle where the three bodies were found, Arapahoe County undersheriff Mark Campbell said.

Campbell said deputies rushed to the farmhouse after receiving reports of shots fired.

They found Davidson on the driver’s side of the SUV and a woman dead on the passenger side.

A girl was found dead in the back of the car, and a 7- or 8-month-old boy was in a car seat uninjured.

Injured girl ran for help; she has been hospitalized.

Campbell said the girl had serious injuries, but was coherent and talking when taken to the hospital.

U.S. Attorney Troy Eid said:

“What a nightmare, and such a coward,” U.S. Attorney Troy Eid said.
“Davidson imposed the ‘death penalty’ on family members for his own crime.”

Family identities and injuries mentioned

Davidson’s wife was Amy Hill, 29.

Davidson’s daughter was Bailey McDaniel, 3.

A boy, about seven months old, remained unharmed.

A 16-year-old daughter survived after Davidson fired a shot that grazed her neck and she escaped by zigzagging as she ran away.

The identities of the surviving children were not released.

Davidson asked his wife if they would be together “when everything was over”.

Aftermath

Davidson became known as the “Spam King” after his conviction.

Michael Arvin, Davidson’s attorney during his criminal trial, did not return a phone message left after business hours Thursday.

Other details

He was found dead in Arapahoe County, Colorado on the morning of July 24, 2008.