A so-called "spam king" was just sentenced to four years behind bars, while another recently managed to waltz out of a Colorado prison camp.

First case: Robert Soloway, a notorious spammer who'd been among the first sued by Microsoft, stood accused of using a network of hijacked PCs to send out untold millions of spam messages, as well as harvesting thousands of e-mail address that he used to advertise bogus e-mail services, according to the AP.

Soloway pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud, e-mail fraud, and tax evasion back in March. PC World reports that in addition to his jail sentence, Soloway will also have to serve three years probation, perform 200 hours of community service, and pay restitution (a hearing to set the amount is pending).

As PC World notes, few spammers have actually been tried and convicted specifically for their spamming activities, which makes Soloway's case something of a landmark for prosecutors (although said prosecutors were hoping for a much longer sentence).

Earlier this year, the first U.S. felony conviction for spamming was upheld by a Virginia court, while a Brooklyn man recently got 30 months for spamming 1.2 million AOL members.

Meanwhile, another former "spam king" is now on the loose after escaping from a Colorado jail.

Penny-stock spammer Eddie Davidson, 35, was last seen 90 miles north of the Florence, Colorado minimum-security prison camp where he'd been serving a 21-month sentence, according to the AP.

Davidson, who made about $3.5 million by pushing nearly 20 different penny-stock companies via spam, pleaded guilty to tax evasion and falsifying e-mail headers and was sentenced in April. Do your inbox a favor and keep an eye out for him.

Related:
1 'spam king' sentenced; another escapes [AP, via Yahoo! News]
Colorado 'Spam King' Walks Away From Prison Camp [PC World]