A deputy constable was indicted under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act for wrongfully accessing the state computer system to perform license plate checks after he had been bribed to provide protection for a drug carrying vehicle.
This occurred in Laredo, Texas which will fall within the 5th Circuit’s United States v. John precedent and, therefore, depend on what type of policies, notices, etc. the state had in place to notify the deputy constable that it was improper to access and use this information in this manner. Yeah, I know that sounds dumb — who shouldn’t know this, right? But, notice is often times the determinative issue in these cases — which is why your company needs clear and unambiguous policies tailored to cover such computer use!
Here is the rest of the story if you want to read more: Webb County Deputy Constable Indicted for Accepting Bribes – KRGV CHANNEL 5 NEWS – The Rio Grande Valley’s News Channel – Breaking News, Breaking Stories – RGV News.
