Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Accessing Information from a Protected Computer

Topics:  Maserati

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California
April 15, 2009

United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Bruce Mengler was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jeffrey T. Miller in federal court in San Diego. Judge Miller first accepted Mr. Mengler’s plea of guilty to a charge of unlawfully accessing and obtaining information from a protected computer in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1030(a)(2)(C) and (c)(2)(B)(iii).

According to court documents, in early 2008, Maserati North America (MNA) mailed flyers to potential customers inviting recipients to test-drive a Maserati vehicle and receive a gift certificate redeemable at Omaha Steaks. The flyer directed the recipient to visit MNA’s website and enter the unique Personal Identification Number (PIN) printed on the flyer in order to receive the gift certificate. Mr. Mengler received one of MNA’s promotional flyers. In conjunction with his guilty plea, Mr. Mengler admitted that he intentionally exceeded his authorized access to MNA’s website by writing a program designed to identify PINs that had been assigned to other individuals. After the program identified a valid PIN, Mr. Mengler used another program to download the name and address information associated with that PIN. Mr. Mengler admitted that he used his program to download information for 2,626 individuals located in the San Diego area.

Mr. Mengler was sentenced to three years of probation, a $1,000 fine and a special assessment of $100.

This case was investigated by Special Agents assigned to the Cybercrime Squad of the San Diego Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

DEFENDANT
Bruce Mengler

Case Number: 08CR3203-JM

SUMMARY OF CHARGE
One Count - Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1030(a)(2)(C) and (c)(2)(B)(iii) (Unlawfully Accessing and Obtaining Information from a Protected Computer)

AGENCY
Federal Bureau of Investigation