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Ex-worker accused of hacking into Mt. Airy computers |
KINGSTON TWP. – A Wyoming man is facing charges that he hacked into a secured computer system that affected players’ club cards at Mount Airy Casino Resort in early March.
 Leo Hornbaker III, left, leaves District Judge James Tupper’s office with attorney Mark Mack after Thursday’s preliminary hearing related to the hacking into computer servers of Mount Airy Casino was continued.
Leo Harry Hornbaker III, 37, of Bodle Road, a former employee at the Monroe County casino, is accused of using other employees’ user names and passwords to access the casino’s computer from his residence, according to arrest records filed by the state police Bureau of Criminal Investigations Unit.
Police said in arrest records that they found an external hard drive with the private information at Hornbaker’s residence.
“Very few people had access to the system,” state police Cpl. Derek Fozard said on Thursday. “It all depends on how the IT department had it set up. With Mr. Hornbaker being formerly employed there, he was part of the IT department; he did have access to the credentials.”
Hornbaker allegedly accessed the casino’s secured computer system from March 6 to March 12 and changed information that impacted the day-to-day operations of the casino, according to arrest records.
Fozard said the information Hornbaker allegedly changed was from players’ club cards that are placed into slot machines. The club cards, which look like a credit card, store the players’ slot usage for rewards and comps.
Players were unable to access their rewards and comps, and the casino was unable to issue new players’ club cards or track the cards, according to arrest records.
“When (the casino) realized they had a problem, they were jumping through hoops trying to get things back up; doing the best thing they could to get things back up and running immediately,” Fozard said. “That was their number one priority, and they contacted us to assist in the investigation.”
Police executed a search warrant at Hornbaker’s residence on March 16 and allegedly found an external hard drive that had information of Mount Airy employees’ user names and passwords, arrest records say.
Hornbaker allegedly admitted, according to arrest records, that he accessed the casino’s private network using employees’ information.
“Mr. Hornbaker was able to do this because he was at one time employed with (Mount Airy),” Fozard said. “He had information that helped him gain access to it. By accessing this information, the data was saved on the casino’s server.”
Hornbaker was charged with felony counts of disruption of service, computer trespass, criminal use of communication facility and unlawful use of a computer.
A preliminary hearing that was scheduled for Thursday before District Judge James Tupper in Trucksville was continued to a later date because Hornbaker’s attorney, Mark Mack, said he wanted to see if the charges can be reduced to misdemeanors.
Luzerne County Assistant District Attorney Alexis Favello was unable to attend Thursday’s hearing.
Edward Lewis, a Times Leader staff writer, may be reached at 829-7196.
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DA unhappy mom avoids jail for attack |
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Written by Christine Pinto
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Scranton Times Tribune
HONESDALE - Wayne County's top law enforcement officer said he's not happy that a Lake Ariel woman who inflicted multiple stap wounds on her son will avoid jail time.
However, District Attorney Mark Zimmer said he's bound to follow the law and the facts of a case as they are presented.
On Monday, Janice Taylor was sentenced to a mandatory one year of outpatient treatment, both individually and with the 5-year-old victim. Wayne County President Judge Robert Conway found Mrs. Taylor to be severely mentally disabled and, on the advice of psychiatrist Dr. Robert Sadoff, ordered her to attend treatment.
The boy was stabbed 25 times last July 14. He has recovered from the injuries.
While he's dissatisfied with th esentence, Mr. Zimmer said the law on insanity defense is clear. The three psychiatrists who evaluated Mrs. Taylor all came to the same conclusion: She was suffering psychotic delusions when she stabbed her son. |
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WILKES-BARRE - A Luzerne County jury deliberated for less than an hour on Friday before finding a Mountain Top man not guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at a Pittston Township motel.
Pagneshkumar A. Pathak, 48, of Spring Mill Road, was charged after a woman claimed he forced his way inside a room at Super 8 Motel and allegedly molested her on Feb. 11.
Pathak was a clerk at the motel at the time.
After a one-day trial before Court of Common Pleas Judge Chester Muroski, the jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding Pathak not guilty of two counts of indecent assault.
Attorney Mark Mack represented Pathak.
Assistant District Attorney Maureen Collins prosecuted.
Originally published January 10, 2009 Times Leader
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Man found not guilty of morals charges |
A former Hunlock Creek man was found not guilty to a number of morals counts following a three-day jury trial at the courthouse.
Robert Maylan Smiwth of Monks Corners, S.C., formerly of Hunlock Creek, was found not guilty of statutory rape, rape, corruption of minors, indecent assault, incest and endangering the welfare of children.
The trial opened last Thursday and the jury, after deliberating about 1 1/2 hours, returned its not guilty verdicts Tuesday afternoon to Judge Joseph Augello.
Defendant was represented by Attorney Mark Mack.
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Jury finds Mountain Top man not guilty of indecent assault |
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Written by Michael R. Sisak
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A Luzerne County jury last Friday acquitted a former motel clerk accused last February of groping a female guest after forcing is way into her room.
Pragnesh A. Pathak, 47, of Mountain Top had been charged with two counts of indecent assault, a first-degree misdemeanor.
Prosecutors claimed Pathak's conversations with the guest included pointed sexual references. They said he followed her to her room, opened her door with a master key and fondled her.
Pathak and his attorney, Mark M. Mack, fought the allegations and juror needed less than an hour of deliberations before reaching their not-guilty verdicts.
Originally published June 13, 2009 Citizen's Voice
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