Andrew Scott Haley found guilty on two counts

GAINESVILLE - A Hall County jury Friday returned a guilty verdict in the Internet hoax case of a 27-year-old Gainesville man, Andrew Scott Haley.

The jury had received its instructions from Chief Judge Andrew Fuller around 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon; the verdict was returned around 4:30.

Haley was accused of an Internet hoax that brought him under indictment for giving false information and evidence tampering.

His trial had lasted a full week in Hall County Superior Court. The jury returned a guilty verdict on the first count of tampering with evidence, and a guilty verdict on the second count of giving false statements.

The jury decided that Haley's game, portraying a fictitious serial killer providing clues to the murder of 16 women, was a felony offense.

The defense argued it was just a game, there was no real serial killer, and no real victims and Haley never directly gave a false statement to investigators.

District Attorney Lee Darragh said he intended to seek state legislation dealing with any possible future Internet hoaxes like Haley's.

"The First Amendment does not protect all speech especially that which is designed to cause unjustified panic and in this case, speech that could be reasonably expected to cause criminal investigations to occur as to the truth or falsity of criminal behavior a person claims on the Internet or through the media." Darragh said.

Haley, as a first offender, was sentenced by Judge Fuller to serve 24 months on work release instead of three years to serve on each count with the remainder of his total 15 year sentence on probation. Haley drew 10 years for evidence tampering, and five years for giving false information.

Haley must pay $2,000 fines on each count plus court fees and an upcoming hearing will determine the amount of restitution he must pay.