WASHTENAW COUNTY, Mich. – A 27-year-old man from Ypsilanti was sentenced Thursday to 87 months in prison for damaging a protected computer.
Konrads Voits was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert H. Cleland, who also ordered restitution in the amount of $238,517 to be paid to Washtenaw County and a three-year term of supervised release. As part of the sentencing, Voits forfeited all interests he had in some bitcoins, and in various electronic devices, including a laptop, an integrated circuit component and several cellular phones.
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According to court records, Voits used both email and phone calls to Washtenaw County employees to gain full access to and control of a part of the Washtenaw County computer network. Upon gaining access, Voits took the names, addresses, emails and passwords of many former and present Washtenaw County employees. Additionally, Voits accessed the Washtenaw County Jail records, altering the electronic records of at least one inmate in an effort to get that inmate released early.
The IT employees at Washtenaw County and employees at the Washtenaw County Jail noticed the discrepancies and nobody was actually released early.
Washtenaw County spent thousands of dollars and numerous extra work hours responding to and investigating the breach, resulting in a loss of at least $235,488.
"The FBI is deeply committed to the aggressive pursuit of all cybercrime and in bringing to justice those who commit such acts," said Timothy R. Slater, special agent in charge at Detroit FBI. "Today's sentencing of Mr. Voits is an example that cybercriminals should no longer expect the internet to provide them a veil of anonymity towards carrying out their illegal activities. The FBI will continue to vigorously investigate these high-tech crimes through strong law enforcement partnerships.”
The FBI’s Cyber Task Force investigated this case in partnership with the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office and the Michigan State Police.