linkinparkusa
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- Joined
- Dec 9, 2006
Sandia National Laboratories has fired an employee accused of using a computer owned by the labs to hack into phone and computer accounts owned by Chester Bennington, the lead singer of the band Linkin Park, a labs spokesman said.
Devon Lynn Townsend, who worked in Sandia's Technology and Manufacturing Group, has been charged with fraud and related activity, according to filings in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.
The labs have conducted an internal investigation over the past several days and terminated her employment today, said Michael Padilla, a labs spokesman.
"Ms. Townsend is no longer employed by the Sandia Corp.," Padilla said.
The computer Townsend used at the labs was not connected to any classified data, he added.
"There's no compromise to security," Padilla said.
Ray Twohig, Townsend's attorney, said his client is far more concerned with her upcoming trial than losing her job.
"She's charged with serious federal crimes," Twohig said.
No court date has been set, and the government is still going through evidence collected at Townsend's house, he said.
"The next stage in this process is for the government to seek an indictment," Twohig said.
Townsend was released from jail Tuesday night and is being monitored by federal authorities, he said.
In October, an agent from the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General uncovered evidence that Townsend had hacked into cell phone and computer accounts owned by Bennington and his wife, Talinda Bennington, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.
The U.S. Secret Service had received a complaint from the Benningtons that "an unknown person, without authorization, had somehow accessed their Verizon Wireless telephone account," according to the complaint.
The Secret Service traced the unauthorized access back to a computer address owned by Sandia, the complaint said.
The labs inspected the computer and traced the activity to an account owned by Townsend. The computer had been used to access the couple's Verizon Wireless accounts and change passwords, according to the complaint.
Sandia investigators also found a desktop folder on the computer that contained a 34-page Verizon Wireless bill that belonged to the Benningtons, the complaint said.
Investigators also found photos identified by Talinda Bennington as cell phone pictures the couple took on a trip to Japan, the complaint said.
Twohig said the charges against Townsend remind him of "fans hiding out in Mick Jagger's dressing room. It's the modern Internet version of that."
He declined to talk about his defense strategy, and wouldn't say if his client was considering psychological help.
from: http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/nov/22/sandia-fires-employee-accused-stalking-singer/
Devon Lynn Townsend, who worked in Sandia's Technology and Manufacturing Group, has been charged with fraud and related activity, according to filings in U.S. District Court in Albuquerque.
The labs have conducted an internal investigation over the past several days and terminated her employment today, said Michael Padilla, a labs spokesman.
"Ms. Townsend is no longer employed by the Sandia Corp.," Padilla said.
The computer Townsend used at the labs was not connected to any classified data, he added.
"There's no compromise to security," Padilla said.
Ray Twohig, Townsend's attorney, said his client is far more concerned with her upcoming trial than losing her job.
"She's charged with serious federal crimes," Twohig said.
No court date has been set, and the government is still going through evidence collected at Townsend's house, he said.
"The next stage in this process is for the government to seek an indictment," Twohig said.
Townsend was released from jail Tuesday night and is being monitored by federal authorities, he said.
In October, an agent from the Department of Defense Office of the Inspector General uncovered evidence that Townsend had hacked into cell phone and computer accounts owned by Bennington and his wife, Talinda Bennington, according to a criminal complaint filed Monday.
The U.S. Secret Service had received a complaint from the Benningtons that "an unknown person, without authorization, had somehow accessed their Verizon Wireless telephone account," according to the complaint.
The Secret Service traced the unauthorized access back to a computer address owned by Sandia, the complaint said.
The labs inspected the computer and traced the activity to an account owned by Townsend. The computer had been used to access the couple's Verizon Wireless accounts and change passwords, according to the complaint.
Sandia investigators also found a desktop folder on the computer that contained a 34-page Verizon Wireless bill that belonged to the Benningtons, the complaint said.
Investigators also found photos identified by Talinda Bennington as cell phone pictures the couple took on a trip to Japan, the complaint said.
Twohig said the charges against Townsend remind him of "fans hiding out in Mick Jagger's dressing room. It's the modern Internet version of that."
He declined to talk about his defense strategy, and wouldn't say if his client was considering psychological help.
from: http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/nov/22/sandia-fires-employee-accused-stalking-singer/
