Mitnick Sentenced to 46 Months
   ------------------------------
   by Douglas Thomas 
   3:00 a.m.  29.Mar.99.PST

   The  case  is not closed on Kevin Mitnick, who was sentenced Friday to
   46  months in prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of wire and
   computer  fraud.  The notorious cracker still faces California charges
   for computer fraud.

   US  District  Judge Mariana Pfaelzer accepted Mitnick's guilty plea to
   five  of  25  federal  counts  of  fraud  plus  two counts of fraud in
   Northern California.

   No date has been set for a trial on Southern California charges, which
   stem  from  a 1993 arrest in which Mitnick was accused of fraudulently
   obtaining  information  from  the  Department  of  Motor  Vehicles. If
   convicted  of  those  charges,  he could face an additional four years
   behind bars.

   Friday's  plea  agreement  set  total  damages of up to US$10 million.
   Prosecutors   and   defense  lawyers  could  not  reach  agreement  on
   restitution, which will be determined at Mitnick's sentencing hearing,
   scheduled  for 14 June. Final motions and a pre-sentence investigation
   report are due by 1 June.

   Mitnick has already spent 48 months in a Los Angeles detention center,
   including  14  months  for  violating  conditions  of  his  supervised
   release. He could be released to a halfway house this fall.

   But  US  Attorney  David Schindler said Mitnick would be in prison "at
   least through next year."

   Don Randolph, Mitnick's attorney, said his client was relieved to have
   his  federal  case  resolved.  In a prepared statement, Randolph said,
   "[Mitnick]  can  now  see  light  at  the end of the tunnel, and has a
   reasonable certainty that it is not another train approaching."