Computer hacker nabbed

by Kathleen Duff
Grand Island Dispatch, April 4, 2008

Grand Island School Superintendent Robert Christmann told the Board of Education at its March 31 meeting that a student has been arrested for “hacking” the district’s computer network and stealing staff passwords.

“Because this involves a student,” Christmann said, “the details are confidential and cannot be discussed.”

Christmann did, however, thank School Resource Officer Christopher Pyc, district technology expert Molly Marren, the State Police and other staff and students who worked toward catching the culprit. “We can’t appreciate how much time it took to figure this out,” Christmann stated. The arrest came after months of intensive investigation with Christmann promising serious consequences when the investigation was complete.

The 16-year-old was arrested March 20, according to Trooper Rebecca Gibbons of the New York State Police, with the assistance of the State Police’s computer crimes unit in Batavia.

He gained access to staff user names and passwords, she said.

“As far as we know, he didn’t use any of them,” Gibbons said.

She said the arrest signals to other would-be computer hackers that the issue is a serious incident that would “follow them for the rest of their lives. It’s a criminal act.”