CLINTON (AP) - A Clinton-based Internet service provider has been awarded a more than $236 million federal judgment against an illegal spammer.

Robert W. Kramer III, owner and operator of CIS Internet Services, filed the lawsuit against defendants Henry Perez and Suzanne Bartok of Arizona in December 2004.

A federal judge in U.S. District Court in Davenport found ithat Perez and Bartok, who are husband and wife, sent more than 23 million e-mails advertising loan refinancing services to CIS computers in 2003.

Under the judgement, the couple were held personally liable and not protected by the limited liability of their corporation.

Kramer says he hopes the ruling sends the message that spamming isn't tolerated.

In January 2006, Kramer was awarded an $11.2 billion judgment against a Miami spammer. He also earned a total of more than $1 billion in a judgments against three other spammers in 2005.