Oakes man charged with computer fraud, extortion

(Fargo, ND) -- An Oakes, North Dakota man is facing charges in federal court in connection with computer fraud and abuse, extortion, and harassment.

Authorities say 51-year-old Thomas Dorsher, also known as Scammerblaster, could face up to 32 years in prison and more then a million dollars in fines if convicted.

Officials say he allegedly was involved in conspiracy to make threats and launch computerized attacks on three Utah-based companies in an attempt to overwhelm and disable their servers.

Dorsher called the charges "bogus" during his initial court appearance in Fargo Friday.