Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty to Damaging a Protected Computer
| U.S. Attorney’s Office April 04, 2014 |
ROCHESTER, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Annette Kendrick, of Marietta, Georgia, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marian W. Payson, to a charge of recklessly causing damage to a protected computer. The charge carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison, a fine of $100,000, or both.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bradley E. Tyler, who is handling the case, stated that the defendant intentionally and without authorization logged into the computer domain of a Rochester company. After logging on, Kendrick caused modifications to various job applications, job postings, and job posting requirements. As part of the unauthorized intrusion, the defendant caused e-mails with false information to be sent to outside employment agencies about the company’s job postings and to job applicants, saying that they were no longer being considered for a position. Kendrick’s unauthorized intrusion caused the company to incur costs of $50,034.96 to investigate, repair, and re-secure the company’s computer domain.
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 6, 2014, at 11 a.m. before Magistrate Judge Payson.