Updated

A California man is charged in Seattle with writing a prescription for disaster.

Christopher Maxwell has been ordered to appear in federal court. He's accused of launching a computer attack that crippled a hospital's computers, shutting down its intensive care unit and disabling doctors' pagers.

Federal prosecutor Kathryn Warma says two juveniles will be prosecuted out of state in the case.

Authorities say Maxwell and his co-conspirators infected at least 13,000 computers beginning around July 2004, including an attack that hit Northwest Hospital and Medical Center.

Maxwell faces up to ten years in prison and fines totaling $250,000 if convicted.