Firm fined for sending junk e-mail

A California marketing firm was ordered Tuesday to pay $3 million in civil penalties and $375,000 restitution to the Seattle School District for sending 1,500 junk e-mails.

The Seattle U.S. District Court judge's ruling against AvTech Direct came in Washington's first lawsuit under the federal anti-spam act, according to Attorney General Rob McKenna's office.

McKenna's office sued AvTech Direct last year for allegedly sending unsolicited e-mails to employees of schools, hospitals and other nonprofit organizations. Each e-mail constituted a violation of the state Consumer Protection Act.