Georgia Woman Pleads Guilty to Damaging a Protected Computer

       ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- 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.