Recent news points to the need to have clear company policies regarding eavesdropping and listening devices. Educate your employees that eavesdropping is illegal.
Illinois tech director arrested on eavesdropping charges
Law enforcement officials in Knox County, Ill. earlier this week arrested a longtime IT employee of Abingdon-Avon School District #276 on electronic eavesdropping charges in connection with a recent data breach, according to local reports.
The Register-Mail has reported that Mark Rogers, the district’s technology director, surrendered himself on Wednesday and was subsequently arrested on three felony eavesdropping charges. Another report by KWQC elaborated that Rogers is accused of using a webcam to secretly record a private conversation without permission.
KWQC also confirmed that the arrest ties into a data breach that occurred in January, was publicly disclosed in May, and included allegations of changing grade-point averages and tampering with emails.
“The charges are all eavesdropping,” said Rogers’ attorney Elisa Nelson, the Register-Mail article reports. “There was not one single, solitary piece of inappropriate material linked to Mark Rogers. There wasn’t even a discussion about any other activity except alleged eavesdropping.”
A former Allegan County Sheriff’s Office corrections deputy has been sentenced to probation for eavesdropping on his bosses. Jacob Keola Kapanui, 30, was sentenced Monday, June 20, in Allegan County Circuit Court to three months of probation and one day in jail, with one day credit. Judge Kevin Cronin said, “He’s lost his job behind this.” Kapanui was arrested in February and charged with one count of using a computer to commit a crime, one count of eavesdropping and one count of lying to a police officer. He was accused of hiding a listening device in a conference room at the Allegan County Sheriff’s Office where he knew his supervisors often met for meetings. Kapanui’s attorney, Robert Champion, said, “Your honor is aware of what’s occurred here; my client has lost his career. He’s lost the four years of college getting his degree.” Paranoia had led his client to plant the device, Champion said. The sheriff’s office was, at that time, being sued by a former inmate who was suing them and alleging excessive force by Kapanui in the process of booking him. Ex-corrections officer sentenced for recording superiors