Belvidere Woman Sentenced to Five Years of Probation for Unlawful Computer Access

ROCKFORD, IL—PATRICK J. FITZGERALD, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, together with ROBERT D. GRANT, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today made the following announcement:

Today, in Rockford Federal Court, United States Magistrate Judge P. Michael Mahoney sentenced THERESA L. GLASS, 43, of Belvidere, Illinois, to five years’ probation for intentionally accessing, without authorization, a protected computer used by the Better Business Bureau in interstate and foreign commerce and communication, causing damage or loss. In addition, Glass was ordered to pay restitution of $9,049.00. An information charging her with this misdemeanor crime had been filed in federal court on October 19, 2010.

On November 4, 2010, Glass pled guilty to the charge admitting that during the evening on September 24, 2008, and on the afternoon of October 4, 2008, she used the Internet and the password of an employee of the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois to access a Better Business Bureau computer located in Centerville, Utah. Glass was not authorized at either time to access any Better Business Bureau computer, and the computer that was accessed by Glass was used in and affected interstate commerce. Glass admitted in the plea agreement that on September 24, 2008, she downloaded to her computer approximately 160 files relating to two Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois customers. In addition, Glass admitted that while accessing the computer on October 4, 2008, she “merged” files of two large Better Business Bureau customers. As a result of the merger, the Better Business Bureau files for one of the customers were inaccessible for a period of time. As stated in the plea agreement, as a result of Glass’ unauthorized access, the Better Business Bureau suffered damages and losses in the amount of $9,049.00, including the cost of responding to the intrusion, conducting a damage assessment, and restoring the data, program, system, and information to its condition prior to Glass’s unauthorized access.

This case was investigated by the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case was prosecuted in federal court by Assistant United States Attorney MICHAEL D. LOVE.